The delphinium, King Charles’s favourite flower, is a “great addition to a wildlife garden” this summer, according to experts.
Lucy Taylor, manager at Vine House Farm, explained that the Royal Family’s Twitter account announced a couple of years ago that delphiniums were “the King’s favourite flower”.
They also revealed that they are the favourite flower of many senior royals and presumably feature in many royal gardens.
King Charles explained: “For me, the magnificent, gloriously apparelled delphinium, with its impeccable bearing and massed in platoons, holds pride of place in my botanical affections.”
He told Radio 4: “I have an absolute passion… for delphiniums – and I’ve always had it. There’s something about those Edwardian watercolours… To me, gardening is rather like painting. You need to get the paint on – and not muck about.”
The plant is most known for its royal blue variety and is “a great addition to a wildlife garden,” Lucy Taylor explained.
This is because Delphinium, or larkspur, provides a great deal of nectar, which invites pollinators like butterflies and bees to the garden.
“In addition to contributing to increased biodiversity in your garden, the presence of invertebrates like these could mean more garden birds. Common species that feast on flying insects include house martins, spotted flycatchers, swallows and swifts.”
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Lucy added: “Each of these species has struggled with decline in recent years so providing more opportunities for food in your garden could help support their numbers.”
When to plant delphiniums
Spring is an ideal time to plant delphiniums when the soil is warm and moist.
They usually begin to bloom in the summer, allowing you and the insects to enjoy them during the warmer months.
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How to care for delphiniums
Because they grow so high, delphiniums need staking early on to ensure they don’t collapse under their own weight. These plants need a lot of feeding so ensure they don’t dry out in hot weather and use fertiliser every two or three weeks.
Gardeners should be aware that they are vulnerable to slugs when they’re newly planted so be sure to protect them. Lucy said: “Inviting birds into your garden with other food sources can bolster your defences against slug pests, proving how important it is to consider your garden’s biodiversity.”
Some other royal favourite flowers include the Lily of the Valley and Forget-me-not, allegedly the favourite of Princess Diana.
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