Some flowers conjure up visions of an English cottage garden and foxglove is one of them. The ones you see in this vision are a lovely shade of strawberry pink and unfortunately are biennials and disappear after blooming. So much for that vision. But there is a foxglove that is perennial and has the characteristics that give foxgloves their charm so perhaps you should give them consideration.
Yellow foxglove is easy to grow and will provide a long season of bloom if deadheaded. It is easy to start from seed or to buy seedlings by mail order. They are very forgiving in regard to soil but they will thrive in a good moist, humusy, slightly acid garden soil. They do well in partial shade here in North Carolina but do well in full sun in a cooler climate. To provide all season bloom cut off the flowering stalks at their base when only a few flowers remain; new flower stalks will develop very quickly.
Yellow Foxglove with its numerous flower spikes of 3’ is a great addition to a woodland garden or the back of a perennial border. In both sites it will be a good choice for adding color, brightness, and vertical accent. There is something about a foxglove that dominates the scene!
Type: Herbaceous perennial.
Bloom: Late spring through summer if deadheaded. Yellow blossoms with brown markings on spikes.
Size: Three foot spikes rise from low clumps of toothed foliage.
Light: Full sun to partial shade.
Soil: Good moist, humusy, slightly acid garden soil.
Hardiness: Zones 4-9.
Care: Cut down flowering spikes to basal leaves when only a couple of flowers remain on spikes.
Pests and Diseases: None of importance.
Propagation: Seed (difficult to find locally); may self sow; division in spring.
Companion plants: Fine textured ferns, columbine meadow rue (Thalictrum aquilegifolium), Heuchera spp.(partial shade); oriental poppies (Papaver orientale), peached leaved bellflower (Campanula persicifolia) (sun).
I hadn’t realised this plant existed. I’m quite taken, particularly as it is yellow and not pink (got enough of those at the moment!). I might give it a try.
BTW – You were asking about my Geraniums. Most of them don’t die back until winter and by then I don’t mind an empty space. Attention then switches to spring bulbs.I’m not really a planner as regards planting (more a plant collector)but I find grasses and the larger ferns work well.
The yellow foxglove is very nice but not as majestic as the pink, I have to admit. I like it because it is truly perennial and actually spreads in my garden by seed.
About the geraniums; after they bloom they tend to be very rangy and ratty looking so I cut them back knowing that they will quickly regrow into an attractive tuft. The tuft is much smaller than the blooming plant so there is a lot of space around it and that is why I asked. I certainly wish we had the selection of geraniums that you do. They are wonderful !