I love Foxgloves. They are one of the few tall plants that flower in my woods garden.
This is Digitalis purpurea. Yes, it grows like a weed in Britain. It takes a little more work in my hot, dry North Carolina woods.
But not much work. These plants came from last year’s blooms near the downspout at the back of the garage. I transplanted them to a woods bed in fall and now look–
Splendid.
That life cycle means Foxgloves are a biennial–one of the those plants that grow one year and flower the next. Then they die or at least look like death warmed over, so I pull them out.
But first, I’ll shake the seed around, and hope for the best–more stately plants next year. 
I do sometimes see foxgloves for sale in big box stores–in bloom and marked “Perennial”. Don’t buy them. Buy seeds instead, or make friends with a foxglove grower like me, my sister or my good pal Susan.
I’ll put the first 5 or so who want to try it on a seed waiting list. Leave a comment and let me know. And Happy Spring!. Don’t you love this cool weather>
11 comments
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April 15, 2012 at 1:45 am
Marie Hambright
Chris, They are beautiful and the informational promotion make me want to try to have some in my back yard. I think I even saved some seeds from last year. Thanks for sharing your photos and your “tips” for how to grow the Foxgloves.
April 15, 2012 at 1:58 am
peedee
Didn’t i give some of those last year/ I planted candy mountain that are supposed to have the blooms facing upward… They are my favorite flower too!! we can not have too many foxglove!
April 16, 2012 at 10:35 pm
christineramsey
I’m not sure if these are seedlings of your candy mountain or the strain that was by the house–either way you can’t have them back now that they are blooming. (You are a good sister to share your foxgloves)
April 15, 2012 at 2:14 am
Melissa
Wow what timing! I just bought some Foxglove from Wal-Mart today and now I will be so bummed if they don’t come back. I would be delighted if you shared some seeds!
April 16, 2012 at 10:31 pm
christineramsey
Throw the seeds around when they finish blooming and the seed pods dry. I will save you some from my plants also. They are hard to resist in flower aren’t they? You have good taste. C
April 15, 2012 at 5:34 am
outofmyshed
Your foxgloves look so gorgeous in their woodland setting. Still a month or so off from flowering in London, and it’s so bloomin’ dry here, that we now have a hosepipe ban. Just got back from a weeks holiday in Scotland (where it’s been the wettest winter for years) and there are foxgloves growing in cracks in walls. Amazing!
April 16, 2012 at 10:29 pm
christineramsey
Dry here in NC too Naomi, so I feel your pain. Water restrictions this early in the season are pretty scary. I will keep my fingers crossed for both of us to get some nice rain.
Do you have a rain barrel? We have some many droughts here that I have 7. The largest is 500 gallons and having it full helps me worry less about the garden. Still my woods get very dry in the summer. Rain is my favorite thing.
Love Scotland and might go back there later in the year to see the highlands. My father lived in Edinburg in the 80s and when he came back to the US, he planted foxgloves in his SC garden. It was the first time I had seen them outside of a book. I’ve been hooked on them since. Happy gardening. Christine
April 15, 2012 at 12:29 pm
margie
I haven’t had the luck or skill with foxgloves that you have Chris! BUT I have one that is about to bloom that is tall and stately just like yours..perhaps I am siting them wrong. I’ll save seed from this one that I have and plant them in wetter, shadier ground. Great post.
Margie
April 16, 2012 at 10:23 pm
christineramsey
My father used to grow stunning foxgloves down in the SC lowcountry. They seeded like crazy in his sandy, black costal soil–so try sprinkling your seeds in a prime spot. I’ve also had them seed in my compost before–a nice surprise. Good luck with them and thanks for the nice comment. C
April 15, 2012 at 11:50 pm
Dabney
Would love to try foxgloves. What time of year do you sow the seeds? Direct sow in place or start indoors?
Dabney
April 16, 2012 at 10:19 pm
christineramsey
My sister starts her foxgloves inside now and just gave me a four pack of plants that will bloom next year. I’m a bit more lazy and just shake the seeds around after I cut the plants in late May or early June. They like to seed near the down spout where the soil has been improved and is not soooo dry in summer. I can save you some seed if you like.
Also, If you are local, Big bloomers in Sanford NC often has plants in four packs if you shop early enough. Still–growing these awesome plants from seed makes me feel very accompolished. Thanks for the comment and for reading the blog.