10/24/2026
🩵 Some flowers are worth the wait.
I love delphiniums, partly because they remind me of my late grandmother, who lived on the Canadian prairies where these beauties thrive in the rich dry soil. Here in Indiana? Heavy clay, humidity, and exhausting summer heat. Let's just say the deck is stacked against me. 😂
But I really, really want to grow them. Part of the attraction is their color -- true blue in both dark and light shades is surprisingly hard to find in the flower world, especially in a big tall showy flower like delphinium. That gorgeous blue is worth working for!
Three years ago, I started my first delphinium seeds. Last year, I finally had a handful of the most beautiful tall blooms. I even managed to grow one particularly gorgeous plant that first year, only to have it accidentally plowed under this month. But at least I know what's possible, and that one beautiful plant has given me plenty of inspiration to keep trying!
Along the way, I've also spent three years learning to how to start these tricky seeds successfully (cue: 10 days in the fridge, followed by a week in a dark room-temperature closet, all while resting on a damp paper towel in a Ziploc bag, the little divas 😅). This year I've prepared a special spot with a little shade and lots of added organic matter. And last week I planted more than 100 strong little plants that I grew for myself. That's progress!
Now comes the hard part: getting this set through the winter without the critters eating them. Netting, hoops, and frost cloth, don't let me down! 🤞
Hopefully I'll see a few blooms next summer, but the big impressive display I'm dreaming of probably won't happen until 2028.
That's a lot of patience for one flower, but some flowers are worth growing for more than just their blooms.
This is the long game folks and I'm not giving up on my delphiniums yet. 🩵🌿
