Foxglove 'Gigantea'

An extraordinary choice for creating stylish vertical interest in the garden, from bud to bloom and beyond. The caramel spires tower gracefully over the neat, clumping foliage. This rare biennial is one to be treasured.

Best planted in groups of three or more, their towering form looks good in the middle to back of a bed. Cut the first flower back and fertilise for a second round of blooms. The flowers even last well in a vase. Even after their seeds have long fallen or been eaten by the birds, they stand tall through winter deepening to almost black and remaining valuable until the very end.

Plant Rusty Foxgloves in moderately fertile to humus rich, well drained soil. Best grown in full sun to light shade. Water to establish, then only if rainfall is low, they are more dry tolerant than your average Foxglove. This plant is a short lived perennial or biennial that will last around two or three years.

To encourage it to be more perennial, simply cut the second flower back after blooming rather than allowing it to set seed. If you allow it to set seed, then it may grow as a biennial , meaning it will flower in its second year – it does set viable seed that can be sown in spring, or allowed to fall naturally so they can establish small colonies.

Once you have a colony growing, you can do both – leave some for the seeds and cut the rest back. Seedlings are easily removed in the unlikely event they are unwanted! It certainly isn’t invasive, more of a wonderful surprise when they pop up.

Supplied as: Pots
Size: 10 cm