Amateur Gardening – 10 July 2019

For the most productive plants, sow
seed of biennial types derived from
Digitalis purpurea in June and July.
Sow in pots of fresh compost, then
stand outside in a cool, sheltered place.
Ensure that the pots do not dry out.
When the seedlings are large enough
to handle comfortably, move individually
into 2¾in (7cm) or 3½in (9cm) pots.
Grow on, before planting in their
flowering sites in late summer.
Alternatively, sow in a short row in
a cool corner; thin the young plants to
2¾-4in (7-10cm) apart, then move them
to their flowering sites in autumn.

Ensure compost does not dry

out after sowing

How to plant biennial foxgloves

Growing perennial foxgloves

D. lutea will live longer than

other perennial foxgloves

HARDY perennial foxgloves can be
planted from pots at almost any time
except high summer, when the heat
will be stressful for them.
Most are adaptable and tolerant of a
range of conditions. They are, however,

and situations

MoST foxgloves are tolerant plants

that will be happy in any reasonable

soil. Biennial foxgloves derived from

our native wild foxglove enjoy partial

or dappled shade – but they’ll grow

in full sun if not allowed to become

parched. They will often self-sow,

even if not growing particularly well.

Hardy perennial foxgloves, on the

other hand, are best planted in full

sun and prefer good drainage. They

can tolerate short periods of drought,

although you may find that the lower

foliage deteriorates.

Plant at any time except high summer

relatively short-lived, and carefully lifting

and dividing the plants every two or

three years is necessary.

Digitalis lutea (with its small, yellow

flowers) and ‘Glory of Roundway’

(apricot) tend to live the longest.

Plant in their flowering sites in late summer

Best sites

24 AmAteur GArDeNING 6 JULY 2019

Wikimedia Commons

Partial shade is ideal for

biennial foxgloves

Patio foxgloves

WE’vE recently seen a number

of new hybrid foxgloves come

onto the market. The first of these,

Illumination Pink, won the Chelsea

Plant of the Year award in 2012,

while the latest, ‘Firebird’, was

runner-up at this year’s show.

All are hybrids between our

native purple-flowered biennial

foxglove, Digitalis purpurea, and

the Canary Island foxglove, Digitalis

canariensis, a more shrubby plant

with rich, coppery gold flowers.

The resulting offspring are

dramatic, with bee-friendly flowers

in new colours and combinations

from May to September. Winter

hardiness is a big problem, but they

are superb in pots on a sunny patio.

Use well-drained compost and be

sure to raise the container up on

pot feet to ensure no waterlogging.

Following on from the success

of the Illumination Series and the

Foxlite Series, ‘Firebird’ looks to

be the toughest of them all.

Newly launched ‘Firebird’

is ideal for pots

Walberton Nursery