What are the chances ...

[PyreneesPlot]

Of my lone delphinium plant surviving?

I'm about to plant it out in very poor heavy clay soil (without much soil) having just read that they like sand or chalk It will at least be in full sun. Ponders if it is going to like 40 degree heat.

Oh, well, nothing ventured and all that

What have you planted more in hope than expectation?

[Thelma Sanders]

Well, delphs grow well here on clay, so I'm not sure about them liking sand but I have to fight the snugs cos they do like to eat'em.

I think your problem will be the heat, so I'd have planted where there was some shade LOL

I keep planting old fashioned dianthus, but for some reason they only live for a year or 2

[Scarlet]

They grow well on my clay soil too. I've had one that grows by my bird table every year....helps with the slugs. Not sure on the heat, we don't get weather like that even here in sunny wilts but we Haven't had much rain and that's making most of my flowers droop they are super thirsty.

[PyreneesPlot]

Thanks both - that is good news about the clay.
Shade? Ummm, six years ago this was a field with cows in it so all the trees and shrubs we've planted are still teeny. Or dead
However, I've given up worrying about plants wilting as almost everything seems to on most sunny days from April - September and still seems to be ok. The first year I exhausted myself with non-stop watering which just resulted in bigger wiltier plants