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Recommendations to buy Foxgloves

Edward.francisEdward.francis Posts: 123
in Plants
Hi everyone,

I bought some nice foxgloves last year from Sarah Raven. I understand they are biennial so I will have to put some more in this year. Can anyone recommend where to buy from as I'm looking for about 15 plants.

Many thanks,

Ed
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Posts

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Do you have the means to grow them from seed  ? Very easy and considerably cheaper.
    If not l can recommend Brookside Nursery. They don't have a vast amount to choose from at the moment, but may have more selection in the Autumn. 

    https://www.brooksidenursery.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=Foxgloves
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    If you save some seed from yours as Anni says you can sow them for flowering plants next year.
    Sow them thinly in a tray around July, cover with grit and leave outside somewhere sheltered.
    You'll soon have lots of seedling to pot up then you  can plant them out either in Autumn or early Spring next year and they will flower.
    Then repeat the process for the following year.

    The sown seed will not be identical to the parent plants though.
    I sometimes buy Digitalis Alba seed for an all white display that looks very good.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Edward.francisEdward.francis Posts: 123
    Thanks!

    I've bought the tray of mixed plugs from Brookside. They look good and will give us options. Next year I will save the seeds and sow them like you both say.

    Thanks for your help
  • Edward.francisEdward.francis Posts: 123
    As mentioned above I’ve put this tray of plugs from Brookside https://www.brooksidenursery.co.uk/digitalis-foxglove-camelot-mix-tray-of-40-plug-plants.html

    I’m guessing these can be planted out this year but won’t flower until next year? Am I right?

    Many thanks,

    Ed
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    We bought 3 different foxglove species from them and they are growing well. We wait and see when they flower but we were very pleased with the nursery.


  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited April 2023
    I would expect digitalis plugs bought now to have been sown and begun to grow last year and therefore I would expect them to flower this year, providing they’ve grown well and been well cared for. 

    But yours seem very inexpensive … maybe they’re relatively recently sown. How big are they? Can we see a photo?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • WAMSWAMS Posts: 1,960
    Some of my garden foxgloves self-seeded last year are still small (a few inches wide... others are the size of footballs) so I'd think your seedlings might come up this year.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I didn't get many self-sown foxgloves last year (blaming it on the drought because I don't do wholesale watering of the borders) so I picked up a pack of 6  in B&Q last weekend, nice big ones busting out of 4-inch modules. I've potted them on into 2 litre pots and they'll go out when the forget-me-nots come up in a month or so. I think they'll be putting up flower spikes by then so hopefully I'll be able to tell which colours they are. Two have definite purple tinges to the leaf stalks/veins , the others not yet so I'm hoping for at least a couple of whites.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    @Dovefromabove, they're probably about this size, so l guess they would be grown on and then planted out in the Autumn?  Mine in the ground are considerably larger  :)

    https://www.brooksidenursery.co.uk/digitalis-foxglove-camelot-mix-tray-of-40-plug-plants.html

    @Edward.francis, l'm glad you're pleased with them.
  • Edward.francisEdward.francis Posts: 123
    edited April 2023
    Dovefromabove said:
    I would expect digitalis plugs bought now to have been sown and begun to grow last year and therefore I would expect them to flower this year, providing they’ve grown well and been well cared for. 

    But yours seem very inexpensive … maybe they’re relatively recently sown. How big are they? Can we see a photo?
    I haven’t received them yet but they are only 2cm plugs so I’m guessing they will be good for next year. So… I will be on the hunt for garden ready ones this year. 
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