News – Page 6

website: www.woodboroughhortsoc.org.uk

Woodborough Horticultural Society

The Committee have decided that, in view of the current situation and the continuing uncertainty, we would not hold our Rose & Summer Flower Show on the 19^th July as we had originally hoped. Although we may be able to meet on that date, announcements on the future situation were still pending and that the notice of any changes would be far too short for us to operate. On top of this many of you may understandably still feel nervous and find it too early to partake in the social. Food would have to be plated, numerous precautions would still probably have to be taken and doubtless entries would be down on past numbers.

We still hope to hold the Autumn Show on 4^th September, but we will make a decision about this when the committee meet again on 26^th July. We have speakers booked for October 11^th and November 8^th (alongside our AGM) and we will continue to monitor the situation over the coming weeks.

Flower of the month – The Delphinium

The Delphinium belongs to the family of Ranunculaceae, the same as buttercups. There is nothing quite like a perennial border full of Delphiniums. Visit some of the most famous gardens of Britain and you are certain to see these beautiful tall flowers form a colourful backdrop. They are not the easiest of plants to grow as they need a lot of attention and are very exacting in their requirements. They hate clay and usually have to be staked. These are flowers which have to be planted at the back of the border as some reach the heady height of approximately 2m. They are also susceptible to slug damage and disease. The delphinium is not for the faint-hearted.

The word Delphinium comes from the Ancient Greek word ‘delphis or delphinos’ meaning dolphin. Its individual flowers are thought to resemble this marine creature. It is a native plant of the northern hemisphere and on the high mountains of the African continent. They belong to a genus of approx. 300 species and come in colours of white, pink, purple, blue, red and yellow, blue being the most popular colour. They come in singles and doubles and there are three main groups – Elatum, Belladonna and Pacific hybrids. The most popular group is the Elatum group and they can grow up to 2m. The Belladonna group is made up of singles only and can attain the height of 1.2 m. The Pacific Hybrids are short-lived annuals and biennials. Recently a new group called Magic Fountains has been added. These are compact and only grow to 0.5 m. There is an annual Delphinium called the Larkspur which is smaller and flowers all summer. All species of delphiniums are toxic to humans and pets.  

Growing conditions: Delphiniums prefer to grow in well-drained soil and full sun and should be sheltered from wind. They should be planted with compost or well-rotted manure at the bottom of the hole in which they are to be planted.  If you have heavy soil like clay, add grit to assist drainage. Apply liquid fertiliser as soon as the shoots appear and water well during summer. When the shoots appear, you must keep an eye out for slugs which will devour the small shoots. As the flowers grow, you must support them with canes or planting frames. When they have finished flowering, cut them down to the ground and you should get a second flush of flowers later in the year.

Diseases: In dry weather, the delphinium can be affected by powdery mildew. If your plants show signs of this, ensure the soil around them is moist. Rust is another disease which can affect them. This appears on the leaves so pick them off if this occurs. Delphinium Black Blotch is a bacterial disease which causes large black blotches on the leaves. This tends to occur during wet summers. Unfortunately, you will have to dispose of any plants showing this disease or it will spread.  

Delphiniums can be grown from seed. Sow between February to June or September and October. Keep at a constant temperature of 50 to 60 degrees. Flowers grown by seed will most likely flower the following year.

Delphiniums are not the easiest of plants to grow but if you follow the rules, you will find it very rewarding. Bees will also be thankful as they love them.