This is the journal of my endeavours to grow a range of fruit, veg and flowers from seed, grow organically, and my attempts to create a personal paradise with 1/2 acre of maintained gardens and 1/2 acre wild meadows. Northern Ireland's average daily high temperatures are 18 °C (64 °F) in July and 6 °C (43 °F) in January. Soil type: Clay

Wednesday 25 May 2011

Luvin Lupins

I'm luving the lupins... who wouldn't be a fan?!!? Variety: Lupin Russell Mix (perennial), grown from seed several years ago.






The pot grown lupin are slower to flower.

 The Aquilegia (tall plant behind lupin) doesn't compare although I do like its height and delicate flowers.

10 comments:

  1. They look like great specimens, Kelli. Lupins are a classic element of the traditional Cottage Garden.

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  2. I am a big fan - but for some reason I don't have any in my garden. Yours are absolutely stunning! I love the blue ones the best.

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  3. Your lupin are gorgeous! Mine winter killed! Darn it. Do you ever hear their seed pods pop? Once they start to ripen--turn brown--, listen for the pop as they release the seeds. Rather cool.

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  4. I love lupines. Yours are gorgeous! I bought some seeds to grow them in my side yard but then I noticed they don't like clay soil (which is what I have). I'll try to ammend the soil there and try next season. I really really want these in my yard! =0)

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  5. I'm so jealous of your lupins... every time I try them the slugs have a party....

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  6. Gorgeous!Gorgeous!Gorgeous! I am in awe. Like it so much wish we have it too. But I don't have the seeds. Maybe I can cheat this time find some seedlings.

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  7. Kelli- you sure live in a beautiful part of the world! My husband is 1/2 Irish and I'm part. We've been wanting to visit Ireland for a long time- it's so beautiful!

    Thanks for visiting my blog- the soil blocks are made using soil block molds. I purchased a micro-soil block maker and when the seedling is ready to go on to the next size block, I put them into the 2 inch soil block. So I have the micro and the 2 inch makers- they work fantastic as the roots of the plant don't get root bound an just take off when you plant them out in the soil!

    I sowed some Lupines this year- but suddenly had to go out of town, so only 4 survived- we'll see how they do!

    Happy gardening to you,
    Tessa

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  8. Forgot to add, Kelli, If you try the soil block makers and need help getting the soil just right you can email me through my blog- just look for the blue envelope.

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  9. Kelli, I love the variety of color you have in your lupines. They are such a wonderful addition to a garden and a helpful plant with the way they put nitrogen back into the soil. After Mt. St. Helen's erupted in 1980 (in my neck of the woods) the landscape was naturally devastated but lupines came back first and were the foundation to other plants growing back and the forest being regrown. Pretty cool plant!

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  10. In that lot of seedlings I bought the other day there were some lupins..I am off to plant them out today. I hope mine are as beautiful as yours come spring.

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