Delphinium 

ODL 

By JACK OFFERMAN 
Member of the American Delphinium Society 
T is interesting to know, that more 
flower lovers in the Southwest are 
growing Delphinium species than 
ever before. Many gardeners are 
looking forward to the release of the 
new crop and their new hybrid 
strain. The change from the old 
fashioned Delphinium to the new hy- 
brid is enormous. The flowers are 
much larger, double, semi-double 
and more brilliant; they make such 
wonderful growth the first year, that 
seeds planted in August and Septem- 
ber will be ready for exhibition the 
following season. If flower stalks are 
cut down to the ground after the first 
flowering, there will be a second 
blooming in Fall. Seed sown in early 
spring will produce Maidenbloom 
same year. An established plant oc- 
casionally gives flower spikes 4 feet 
high, with individual flowers up to 3 
inches across and more. Last year’s 
new introduction of the Pacific Hy- 
brid Delphinium was named “‘Perci- 
val,” a pure white flower with Black 
Bee, a companion to the all-white 
Galahad Series, one of the greatest 
achievements in the 
Giant Whites. 

lie Eran) Gevitlen 

Delphinium Grower Jack Offerman holding an array of his flowers. 
There are quite a few more named 
varieties in the Pacific Hybrid 
Strain, the most handsome of all Del- 
phinium known. They come in a fine 
color ranging from sky-blue to the 
darkest blue, royal purple, lavender, 
violet, etc., a color combination 
never seen before in the better Del- 
phinium. 
Of all the plants we grow in our 
eardens, Delphinium are the most in- 
dispensable; no perennial garden is 
complete without this magnificent 
flower. Wherever you live they are 
easily grown from seed. Where the 
summers are sudden, drouth and 
blistering hot, the handsomest of the 
Belphinium tribe must be treated as 
biennial, and often perennial, since 
heat resistance is being bred into our 
crop by American breeders. With a 
little care, Delphinium will topnotch 
other favorite plants in your garden. 
If your garden needs any change 
in the border, replace it with a few 
Delphiniums; it will give the artistic 
gardener an opportunity to create 
everchanging pictures and color com- 
binations. 
When preparing a seed bed dig space 8 
inches deep; add equal part sand or peat 
moss to good garden loam and see to it 
that bed is 3 inches higher than the 
ground. Rake bed even and sow seed 
evenly on surface of the soil; firmly press 
them in gently by means of a board. A 
light covering of sifted soil or peat moss 
(not more than 7 of an inch) will afford 
the ideal conditions for germination. Water 
with fine spray and darken bed with wet 
paper or dampened burlap. 
After 10 to 14 days when seedlings ap- 
pear, remove the burlap and give more 
light and air. Never let seedbed dry out. 
No seed can grow in dry and hard soil. 
When seedlings are 3 inches high, trans- 
plant them in sandy soil 4 inches apart; 
when plants are strong enough (usually 8 
inches high) place them in permanent po- 
sition. Add stable manure to each plant 
about one foot deep. You will have flowers 
in four months from seed. 
For best result sow seeds in boxes in- 
doors. You can protect your seeds against 
strong rainfalls, which otherwise, unpro- 
tected in the garden, may wash many of 
the seeds away. 
Now go to work and don’t take your 
Delphinium growing too seriously. Get 
some fun out of it as you go along. Give 
your plants loose soil; give plenty of water 
and sunshine and the joys of beautiful 
flowers will be yours. 
Reprinted from SOUTHERN HoME and GARDEN, August, 1944. 
