Finding tall foxgloves

[Briony]

I keep on buying foxglove plants every year that are promised to be really tall, but in the end every year they turn out to be much shorter than the self-seeded wild foxgloves in my garden which can be 2m tall. Sometimes they are only 1m tall

I am wondering if it is because these plants come from a nursery, but I have seen people with tall, multicoloured foxgloves in their gardens that must have come from somewhere. Does anyone know a good place to buy them or a good variety to try and find?

[Thelma Sanders]

Different varieties grow to different heights, anyway - so you need to choose tall ones, obviously.

Also IMO they get stunted if grown in pots, I think you would be better off sowing seeds where you want them to grow.

[Briony]

Thanks, I know it sounds a crazy thing to worry about but I am trying to make a very traditional cottage garden border and tall foxgloves are really important, the short ones don't look right at all for that look.

[Guest]

I think your (nursery) sowing times will greatly affect it, but it may be up to experimenting to check. Being biennial they should really be sown june/july. but often they are spring sown. If you do it from seed you will have more choice on the varieties anyway.

Edit: looking around most are 3-5ft, but did find these potential giants http://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/item_..._shirley_mixed

[Briony]

Thanks, I think you are right about the sowing time. Those seeds look perfect! I can give it a try with the right timing myself.