I started some from seed this year. I'm leaning towards "as much sun as possible" based on the boulevard plantings I've seen in Winnipeg. They were out in full sun with no shade and looked great, especially in a mass planting.

Rats!

Northspruce, I'm going to hold out hope that two more people say they'll be beautiful in sun/part shade, and then that'll cancel out your vote, LOL ! Please don't be offended by that =:) Not my intention at all....

Otherwise, I do have a second choice in full hot sun. Only thing is, they'd be in a raised planter. I'm not sure if they'd withstand the winter, although so far the tulips and daylilies were fine this year. It may have been the good snow cover, though.

I lied. I looked it up and I'm growing the annual purple 'Victoria' salvia. I have never grown perennial salvia, I don't know how well it winters here at all - maybe someone can chime in.

As far as I know they all like a good amount of sun though.

I have started "Blue Queen" perennial salvia from seed and it has done well for me and for a friend I gave a couple plants too. I have mine in full sun but I think they could tolerate some shade. Sometimes we have cold weather before we get any snow cover and they still come back. They probably would not do too well if they were in a spot that stayed wet for long periods of time..Jean