Native to western China, this uncommon species bears short spires of medium-sized flowers with slightly closed trumpets and noticeably prominent greenish spurs. It prefers a sunny site, growing best in sandy, loamy soil that is moderately moist, and can apparently withstand temperatures down to -17º C. ... Learn More

This unusual species known as California larkspur produces an unusually large and compact inflorescence usually containing over 50 unusual blossoms, these consist of rather orchid-like pale beige flowers with a puckered, nearly closed mouth. It prefers a warm site in well-drained moist soil. ... Learn More

From a lush clump of divided leaves arise short stems bearing prominently-hooded, violet-blue flowers, with a noticeable black eye, much resembling a black bee! One of the high alpine species, the preferred habitat in the wild in Eastern Asia, the Western Himalayas, Kashmir and Tibet, ranges from 3000 to 4800 metres. ... Learn More

This generous packet contains all shades, including bicolours, blue, pink and white singles, and doubles from our cottage garden. We have also included a few unusual species so expect the odd surprise. ... Learn More

Very different from the traditional tall spiky Delphiniums, this strain forms a low, bushy mound of lacy green leaves, plants bearing loose sprays of single electric-blue flowers throughout the summer. This variety, native to Russia and China, will often self sow where happy and is said to be tolerant of hot, humid summer climates and is also known to do remarkably well in areas with short, cool summers. ... Learn More

A newly introduced dwarf species from Yunnan and China with hairy leaves deeply divided into oblong segments. Three to five, relatively large pale blue flowers are produced on each compact, erect scape. ... Learn More

A very rare and lovely new variety from Siberia and Manchuria, barely yet in cultivation. Thick, greyish, rather felted leaves are held on strong stems which bear numerous deep blue flowers surrounded by purple bracts. ... Learn More

The flowers of this semi-dwarf plant are violet, with the uppermost of the five petals being modified into a pronounced hollow spur, all upon a single slender stem which usually is covered with very fine hairs. The petals are shallowly notched, ruffled, veined and wavy-edged with the upper two petals often being white. ... Learn More

This new, rare and desirable alpine plant with bluish-green flowers is the only tall larkspur in the Sacramento-White mountain range, its distribution being through New Mexico, Sacramento and the White mountains. Its normal habitats are canyon bottoms, forest meadows and road banks in lower and upper montane coniferous forest from 2,200-3,400m (7,200-11,200 ft). ... Learn More

One of the smaller species, this beautiful European larkspur grows notably in Poland and Slovakia on both sides of the Carpathians, where it opens its large, dark-eyed, deepest blue flowers in tidy compact spires over basal clumps of low-growing foliage. ... Learn More

Large, hairy, dark violet flowers with with darker petals, produce a spur about equal to sepals. Originally from North-west China, this small and unusual plant is one of the of the easiest alpine species for the garden. ... Learn More

A most unusual and impressively tall plant with hairy racemes of unreal-looking, densely packed, orchid-like brownish blue-purple flowers, from a large basal leaf rosette of attractive, shiny, and marbled star-shaped leaves. This biennial species is easily grown in any rich, well drained soil in a sunny spot where it readily self-sows under good conditions. aka "Stavesacre" ... Learn More

MUCH LARGER SEED THAN REQUIENII The flowers are mauve-blue to blue, short-spurred, and up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) across. It grows throughout the Mediterranean The use of herbal preparations made from D. staphisagria seeds for destroying body-lice has been recognized since antiquity. The plant name refers to the resemblance of the leaves to a grape or 'wild raisin' It is interesting that even under bad conditions, seeds have their characteristically large size. The thick-skinned inflated seed pods contain just two or three seeds. The average size for the long axis of 32 seeds was 6.2 mm and the average width across the seeds was 5.2 mm. The seeds are angular with flat facets and a rough, ridged dark brown skin. The seed yield from this species is consequently much smaller than from D. requienii, which produces 35+ smaller seeds per floret. The plants die once the seed has ripened. ... Learn More