It takes a lot of energy for a plant to bloom and if it was just recently planted it's probably putting it's energy into grow new roots. Think the sleep, creep, leap rule whenver you plant perennials. The first year the plant appears to sleep as it's busy getting established under ground, the next year growth appears to creep and the third year it leaps.

Can't help you on the division problem. I've never divided mine. A thought occurred to me. Are you sure you have May Night and not another salvia? I remember now that some years ago, I started out with a salvia that had some kind of German name, if I'm remembering correctly. It is readily available in many nurseries and catalogs. After a couple years, I tossed it--because it sprawled a lot. Then, after researching, I got May Night because it does not have the sprawling problem that the other had. And it has not sprawled all these years I've grown it. I bet you actually have a different salvia. The general color and appearance of the two were very similar--just that difference in sprawling. Maybe try a May Night next spring and see if it performs better than the (fake?) one you have now. Just a thought. Kate

There;s absolutely nothing wrong with your plant. It could be divided, but its got plenty of blooms so it's not imperative. Although I read May Night "should' be divided every three years, mine has been in place 4 or 5 and thrives. There's no need to 'worry' about cutting it back. If you cut the stem with the spent bloom right down to the next set of leaves, smaller flowers are produced in those leaf axils. They are not a dramatic statement, but they are a color in the garden. Do cut that stem quite close, or the ugly stub sticks up inbetween or next to the new flowering stems. I guess if you blooming season is long enough you could hack the plant way back. But her in zone five, unless the foliage is a mess, I don't usually cut back my perennials all the way. The season often isn't quite long enough for mid to late season flowers to recover and look like anything. You have to learn by experience. Sorry its the truth. If you have a plant that's a little out of line of sight, cut it way back and see what it does compared to the moderately dead headed ones. Tracey .... a well known garden designeer and writer writes books about her experiments. We pay to learn from her. But she's become an expert by hacking, trimming, deadheading and watching and watching and waiting and waiting.

As far as I know, all of the S. nemerosa types benefit from dead heading. They are best performing in colder USDA Zones, especially 5. They need good siting to thrive in the hot, humid nights of the SE USA.