The name Salvia means to save as many kinds of saliva have been considered medicinal since ancient times. The top photo is a common roadside planting and is called Salvia while the deep blue-purple one at the bottom is called Meadow Sage.
Salvia is a lovely plant and its also a variety of the herb sage. If your salvia has sented leaves it can be used as a herb. A lot of salvia originates from America and the rarest is salvia divinorum also known as Diviners Sage which is grown in secret plots in Southern Mexico. Among others I have Salvia Elegans known as Pineapple Sage which when rubbed have a pineapple fragrance.
NATURE IN JAPAN 