Salvia Strategy!

I planted a 4 or 5 salvias I bought from dobbies last May/June and they looked amazing! By about early August however they became leggy so I cut back all the top growth. Later in September they looked great again after a 6 or 7 week hiatus.

Is there a strategy to keeping them the same shape and flowering all summer without a drastic chop?

(I then cut them all down to the ground before winter, not sure if this was right).

I can see the ones that get full sun, have encouraging new growth forming these last few weeks. But two planted near a very shaded wall are dormant. Should I dig up and relocate the shaded ones?

 

What varieties Kriss? Looks like culinary purple sage???
Some are hardy, very hardy, and some are tender. Some culinary, some ornamental. Best not to cut down before winter. However, if you take cuttings mid to late summer you will have replacement plants.
Shade or sun depends on variety but mostly sun is required.
I grow a wide variety of salvias here...essential part of the summer garden

 

How do I say this without offending 50% of the population... er... my wife is terrible for binning the little cards that come with plants!!!!

I keep the cards, erm, and often leave them out on the couch or dining table!

I’m pretty sure it was Memorosa Sensation Blue!

 

Nemorosa Sensation Blue Kriss.....nice hardy variety.
Keep labels or write names in a notebook perhaps