In message , Rowdy
writes
On Fri, 6 Aug 2004 13:28:25 +0100, "Glen Able"
wrote:

I'm currently clearing a moderately shady spot which I reckon'd be perfect
for a display of about 60 foxgloves next year.

What's a reasonably economic way to get these plants? I'm not sure if it's
too late to sow seeds this year, and if it's not, then what do you do with
them over winter.

Dunno if this is just garden centres around Oxford, but small foxglove
plants bought in spring tend to cost 5 to 10 squid

Go and buy 2 packets of seeds (~ £1.50 each packet), of whatever
variety of foxglove takes your fancy, and sow one packet now and the
other late spring of next year. Foxgloves generally have a two year
lifespan flowering in the second year, so sowing as I have suggested
will give you yearly continuity as the mature plants self seed in
future.

Or alternatively go and find a few ripe foxglove seed heads of ones you
remember looking good and have them for free. They produce phenomenal
amounts of viable seed - so much that you normally chop them off.

One packet of foxglove seeds is more than enough. It is pretty difficult
to prevent them from germinating no matter how badly you mistreat them.
Chances are that even planted this late in the season some will be
mature enough next year to flower (and die).

Regards,
--
Martin Brown