Whilst these 3 young plants might not look very exciting at the moment, they are the all- singing, all - dancing new Foxgloves which took Chelsea by storm last year.They are 'Illumination Pink' and my friend and I have been waiting for them for a l-o-n-g time. We ordered them from Thompson & Morgan very soon after Chelsea and of course, everyone wanted them, so we had to wait in line. Although they were delivered about 6 weeks ago, I have only just taken delivery as my friend has been growing them on in her conservatory, her greenhouse being deemed too cold for such special (and expensive) charges.
They are a hybrid, so are sterile and will not set seed, thus giving a long flowering period. One of the parents is the Canary Island Foxglove, which has supposedly given 'Illumination' its exotic colouring. It is a semi evergreen perennial, unlike most Foxgloves which are biennial.
I will wait until it is warmer before planting it out, even though it is hardy, and will harden it off a bit, as it has been in a heated environment.
Although I have read about this plant I have not spoken to anyone who is actually growing it, so I don't know if the claims for it are wildly exaggerated or not. Is anyone out there nurturing one as we speak ? I would love to know how it is doing !
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