I have a salvia plant that comes back every year (for about 5 years now). I don't know the species...but it's bright blue and the bloom starts out short and cone shaped -wider at the bottom than the top. As the flower bloom matures the stalk gets taller (from 5 to 8 inches) and tiny blue flowers start opening from lowest to highest..until they covers the stalk...then the blue diee off from lowest to highest. I usually deadhead these stalks when most of the blue is gone. Sometime the blue stalk devides into two at the tip.)

Anyway...the question is:

This plant blooms all summer but very early in the summer the leaves and stems of the plant look dry and turn brown, the leaves curl up. Still new growth keeps coomming from the top of this terrible looking plant. There are also some new shoots that come from the ground ..often a few inches from the plant. I haven't got the heart to destroy this plant because it tries so hard and comes every year and it does make flowers. BUT Is it normal for most of the height of these plants to look terrible while it's still making flowers? It's in full sun.

Do these plants need special care? I haven't noticed and insects bothering the plant and it stands among normally healthy plants of other types.