Lupinus 'My Castle' (Band of Nobles Series)
lupin
- Position: full sun or partial shade
- Soil: moderately fertile, well-drained, slightly acid, sandy soil
- Rate of growth: average
- Flowering period: June to July
- Flower colour: rich red
- Other features: the seeds can cause severe discomfort if ingested
- Hardiness: fully hardy
Perfectly suited for hot themed borders, where the brick red flowers, which usually have a darker standard, will provide a dramatic burst of colour from early to midsummer. Stately and elegant, they look very impressive when planted in bold drifts, or mixed together with other summer flowering perennials. - Garden care: Stake with bamboo canes in spring before the flowers appear and deadhead the faded blooms to encourage a second flush of flowers.
- Harmful if eaten
Achillea 'Moonshine'
yarrow
Lovely, large sulphur-yellow flowers
Campanula lactiflora 'Pritchard's Variety'
milky bellflower
Masses of bell-like lilac flowers
How to get more flowers
Many flowering plants can be encouraged to produce better and longer-lasting displays with the minimum of effort. A plant produces flowers in order to reproduce and ensure the survival of the species. Once a plant has flowered and fertilisation has...
Read full articleGet more flowers
Deadheading will prevent them setting seed and so use their energy producing a further flush of blooms later on. Plants that respond well to deadheading include annuals such as Ageratum, Alyssum, Antirrhinum, Calendula, Centaurea, Cosmos, Dahlia, foxglove, Californian poppy, sweet...
Read full articleChelsea Chop and other methods of extending the flowering season
Many gardeners who are happy, even gung-ho, with the secateurs when pruning shrubs and climbers are surprisingly reluctant to take the shears to herbaceous perennials. Maybe this is because it just doesn’t seem quite right to be cutting back all...
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