Delphinium 'Blue Jay'

delphinium

• Position: full sun
• Soil: fertile, well-drained soil
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: June and July
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  Dense spires of semi-double, deep blue flowers with black eyes appear June and July on tall stems with deeply cut, mid-green leaves. These towering delphiniums are shorter lived than many other varieties and look fantastic when grown as annuals or biennials in a cottage-garden scheme. Alternatively use them towards the back of a well-drained, sunny border, where they will add height and bold splashes of colour. As cut flowers, they last longer than most delphiniums.
  
  
• Garden care: Protect young foliage against slug and snail damage in spring. Stake with bamboo canes in mid-spring, before the flowers appear. During the growing season, apply a balanced liquid fertiliser every 2-3 weeks and wearing gloves cut back the faded flower-stems to a flowering side-shoot to encourage repeat flowering. At the end of autumn cut back and compost the faded flower-stems.