DELPHINIUMS.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 15908, 21 August 1923, Page 5

DELPHINIUMS.

After the rose, there is probably no flower in the garden that provides such a striking display as the delphinium, or perennial larkspur. The New Zealand climate, or range of climates, is admirably adapted to its successful cultivation. Its splendid display of bloom, from dark purple to delicate blue, affords a fine picture for many weeks, and after the first display is over and the flower stems cut down, like its contemporary the rose,, it rewards the cultivator with a second, though much modified blooming until the frosts of winter come to end its display. The root crowns not only maintain their vitality for years, but as they grow older increase in size and send up a greater number of tall stems crowded with beautiful flowers. These in due course develop seed pods crowded with seeds, from which a fair number of young plants spring year by year. It is one of the most satisfactory of our garden plants and requires but little attention beyond the careful staking of the flower stems. With beds of suitable shades once established the happy possessor is always sure of his display of blue at the back of his borders or in the beds in which they are, massed. Young crowns planted at this time of year may be unfailingly relied on to flower in the following spring and summer. Those who desire to grow their plants from seed will, of course have to wait for flowering results until next year, but there is much satisfaction in raising good plants from seed, which can be procured from any of our local nurserymen.