Monday, July 27, 2015

Delphinium Show

              Many of you know and grow Delphinium in your gardens. It's a stately, elegant perennial that is a standard in cottage gardens. Mounds of dark green, glossy foliage are adorned with huge spikes of showy, spurred flowers in early summer. Another common name is larkspur, although this name usually refers to annual varieties. This Delphinium Show was held in Regent park, London in this July, and as I have my camera always with me I'd taken photos of these wonderful plants.





Delphiniums grow well in regions with relatively cool and moist summers, and often struggle in hot, dry summer weather. However, some new varieties are more tolerant of heat. Usually plants also dislike sudden wind or rain, but mine is enough hardy to rain and cool weather.
Except for the dwarf perennials, most delphiniums need staking, as you can see on the photos. The plants bloom in late spring to summer, and the flowers are suitable for cutting.




Delphiniums are available in a range of sizes, from dwarf varieties to those with towering. Flower color includes blue, red, white, and yellow; however, the rich, clear blues are especially prized by many gardeners. I think that the white ones are beautiful as well.


Strolling along pretty flowers I've noticed some names of varieties: 'Clifford sky', 'Blue lagoon', 'Cassius', 'Conspicuous', 'Sandpiper'. The last one was white Delphinium. Take a look at these varieties:
 



I always wanted to have this plant in my garden too, 2 years ago I learned that Delphiniums are very difficult to grow from seed. So I bought a potted plant at the nursery and planted in that spring. Here is my delphinium (sorry, don't know the variety), now its seeds are ripen and I want to sow them in autumn.


Some more pictures of blue and dark blue Delphiniums:



Do you ever grow Delphinium? What is your experience in growing it from seed?


27 comments:

  1. Hello dear Nadezda!
    I have never seen a Delphinium plant in my area!
    It's a beautiful flower!Lovely colours too!!
    Wonderful pictures!Have a happy week!
    Dimi...

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  2. Beautiful Delphiniums! Yes, I've tried them but as you might already expect, no success in our garden and in pots not a success either. I have two pots of them at the moment actually but just some green leaves, no flowers. I keep trying. I've never grown them from seeds though. And as plants it's not that easy to find them around here and certainly not in a great variety. I'd love to have the light blue ones but all I find are the bright blue ones and the white ones. From those I prefer the white ones then.
    Love the variety you have in your garden, blue with the white center, so pretty!
    Marian

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    1. Hi, Marian!
      Don't give up and keep waiting the flowers. Maybe the third year Delphinium will bloom. Mine bloomed on 4th year.
      I saw in OBI garden center some small plants of Delphinium but it was in May. Usually I don't expect the color that is said in a label - very often it's another :0)

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  3. Bellissime perenni! Personalmente ho avuto difficoltà con le piante adulte che a volte muoiono. Da seme sono facili da coltivare se si tengono al buio per un paio di settimane :)

    Un saluto e grazie per queste immagini :)

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    1. Thank you for your advice , pontos! I will try this autumn.
      And thank you for visiting my blog!

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  4. Nadezda these are stunning...I can grow these but not as well as I would like...they are a favorite of mine....beautiful pictures.

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    1. Thank you Donna, hope your Delphinium are very nice.

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  5. I used to have quite a lot of Delphiniums but sadly the last years I have problems with them, the rabbits nibble them off. I bought only a few plants among which "Conspicious", but most of my Delphiniums I have grown from seed collected from own Delphiniums. It is easy. Sow the seed fresh in September, they germinate soon. The young plants can stand cold. In spring you plant them out in pots and later in the garden. They will flower the same year. And for your information they like a gift of bonemeal.
    Happy gardening Nadezda!

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    1. Yes, Janneke, I did heard about sowing fresh seeds. Thank you for your advice I'll try to do this and grow them from seed. I have now bonemeal but I will purchase it.

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  6. Hello Nadezda girl !
    Thank you for stopping by and trying to help me find out what this plant is ... until it flowers it is a mystery still ! haha
    I love the plants in your header .. very dramatic colours there !
    I would love to grow delphinium as well ... but our summers are so hot and mainly dry .. I might try the new hybrids that are shorter and more tolerant of our conditions.
    Your pictures of them are so pretty !
    Take Care
    Joy : )

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    1. I'm glad you liked my new header, Joy. I think the new hybrids are hardy to hot summer and rainy weather.

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  7. We grew beautiful delphiniums in Alaska with little effort but I've never started them from seed. It was easy to get starts from friends. Although other gardeners here have great luck with delphiniums, mine don't do so well. They like more space than I have to give them.

    What a beautiful show you've shared with us. Each variety is spectacular and very well grown! Thank you!

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    1. This show was not announced and I was happy to see it in Regent park, Peter. I have only one Delphinium as well and want to try growing them from seed.

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  8. I have some very nice white ones. I am looking for dark blue ones but it looks like I will have to try starting some from seed.
    Your pictures are beautiful.

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    1. Alain, I love the white Delphinium more than blue one that I have. We could exchange them, ah? :0)

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  9. They are so beautiful! I'm really interested to this plant. I have never seen the real Delphinium here. I have ever tried to grow this plant from seed. But I got nothing, the germination was fail.

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    1. This is a problem with delphinium, Endah. They are difficult germinated.

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  10. Aren't they wonderful? The bees love our Delphiniums, so even if I didn't like the flowers, I would grow them. I don't bother staking them - I just make sure they grow in a sheltered spot where the wind won't give them a hard time. I don't remember ever growing them from seed. I have always just bought really small plants which cost very little and take a relatively short time to bulk up.

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    1. Yes, they are Sarah! I would like to try this autumn, the seed are ripen now.

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  11. Welcome Nadezda!
    I'm delighted with your photos. Beautiful.
    I love Delphinium. First time I've seen such variations and colors. Wonderful.
    Greetings.
    Lucia

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  12. I have one delphinium, but nothing as showy as these. I think they are the most gorgeous flowers, especially the sky blue ones which are my absolute favourites.

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    1. Sure your delphinium will nicely bloom next year, Jennifer.

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  13. Gorgeous! I love the array of colors you have. Delphiniums do very well in Alaska, as well.

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    1. Oh,I've never known that they grow well in Alaska, Mary Anne. Do you have some Delphiniums?

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  14. Que maravilaaaaa!!! Preciosas amiga. Da gusto venir a ver tus flores ;)
    Besos

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