You should be seeing new growth by now. Give them another week or two; if there haven't been severe frosts and they still haven't emerged, they're dead.

There have been lengthy discussions of which Delphs do well in rose gardens over on the Antique Rose Forum. You might want to do a search for some of the threads.

I think those are the ones I have, Ann. Ah, well, maybe they will be an annual for me. I did have them in afternoon shade and they still didn't return.

I ordered some from Graceful Gardens last year and they did not arrive until later than they bloom in Alabama. I knew they were dead ducks when they arrived so late(I had ordered several months before). Sure enough, I kept them alive for about a week once in the ground. Within 2 weeks they had burned up in our seriously hot weather. I guess that gives new meaning to "money to burn."

I grow delphs in my zone 9/10 believe it or not. Our temps here in the az desert get pretty high in the summer. I plant mine in the Part shade and cover it with screening in the summer and water twice a day. It is a lot of work to grow them here but worth it, I just love them. I also grow foxgloves too and treat them the same way. Mine are in full bloom right now. My problem is I love the English cottage garden look but live in the wrong area for it....BOO..HOO :(
Carrie
carrie

I've given up on them myself. We get too hot. They just die. Major bummer....

They grow splendidly in Alaska, believe it or not. My sister is not much of a gardener but she grows them as tall as her house. They like the English type of weather, cool summers and cool winters. Peonies do well there also, if the moose don't eat them.

Larkspur is a fair substitute where delphs don't grow. Just throw the seeds around, they come up.

Here is a link that might be useful: Alaska Delphiniums (non commercial site)

I bought some of the New Millenium Delphs from Green Mountain Transplants late last fall and planted them immediately. A few looked like they faltered a bit as winter went on but now they are all up and growing like crazy. Of course it is still March and we'll see what happens when summer comes.

Carole

Carole, your New Millenium should bloom for you (soon) since you put them out in fall and "Hardened" them off. I was a little confused as to why mine would wait to mail to me in late spring when I had ordered them for fall planting but you gets what ya gets.

My mother said summers in the south are harder than winters in the north and if she wanted to "prepare" the plant for the hot of summer, she planted it the fall before so that it could become "hardened" off for what was to come. Your delphnium should bloom soon and once it gets hot, they will probably yield to the heat but since they have spent one winter in the ground maturing, they will probably return next spring.

I have a silly story to tell about my larkspur. I put the seeds out in buckets one year so I could be sure they would make it and they did. I sat the buckets down in the beds and they bloomed for spring. There are very few "volunteer" plants in the rose beds where the buckets were but my lawn is filled with larkspur and the daylilies have larkspur growing all in them, but no, none in the roses, but of course my gardener cuts down the larkspur in the lawn with the mower a few weeks before bloom time. How weird is that for them to grow in grass, but not in soil? GRRRR.

Yeah, larkspur seem to like to sprout in the shade of a blade of grass. Rose campion is the same way. Both will come back for you every year if you let them set seed. I tried the New Millenium delphs too ...they were an annual here. Seems like I even planted them in fall. I think they're worth trying again.

Carole I hope you'll post pics when yours bloom.
Linda

Patricia, the same happened to me when I ordered N.Z. Delphiniums from Graceful Gardens. I did ask them if they were willing to ship in the fall or ship as early as February but they said they couldn't. They cannot facilitate fall shipping; so I decided not to order from them any more.

GMT plants would be also very late if shipped in spring but about 4 or 5 years ago I was able to persuade them to ship in the fall. Yes, planting time makes a world of difference whether those Delphiniums will bloom or die in May and June.

As to Larkspur. First, if they show up in the lawn (they do that for me too), you can excavate them and replant where you want them till they are small. When they are bigger they do not like transplanting and many will not make it. While Delphiniums love rich, fertile soil and regular moisture while growing (but not in summer while they are dormant), Larkspur prefers dry, lean soil. So they do very well for me in a raised bed that tends to be on the dry side, they languish among the roses because I fertilize and water roses more. The seedlings I pulled from the lawn after replanting did well in dry areas as a rule but didn't perform well among the roses. I tried many times to accept this as a fact. In my zone Larkspurs do well if seeded in the fall. The seeds need cold to germinate. This year I thrown the seeds in late, February was much milder as usual, consequently I will have very few Larkspur this year.

Marie, I did not know that you could transplant the seedlings. I will try that next year. I had transplanted a grocery bag full from my SIL's garden but none lived. But, they may have been too big when I moved them. Next year, I know to move the little seedlings that appear in the grass as soon as I find them. I will try that!!!!!! Thank you for the suggestion.

:::My mother said summers in the south are harder than winters in the north and if she wanted to "prepare" the plant for the hot of summer, she planted it the fall before so that it could become "hardened" off for what was to come. :::

Your Mother sounds like a wise woman. LOL!!! Summers in the South aren't for weenies. I've watched plants melt into nothing not matter what you do.

Green Mountain Transplants had no problem whatsoever shipping in the fall when I called them so I can't take credit for brilliance with what was nothing but an impulse buy. I am so looking forward to seeing these Delphs bloom!

I just had a thought as I was sitting here typing....has anyone ever tried Cosmos as companion plants for roses? I'm wondering if I should get some seeds to sprinkle around my rose beds to see if they bloom when the Delphs are done.

Carole

Carole, I grow cosmos, pink, hot pink, white and yellow with my roses and they reseed like fleas. You will never have to resow them after you get them established. I know that others do not but I also grow zinnias in my roses, russian sage which some say smells bad (but I guess my smeller has collapsed as it does not for me), nepeta, asters, daylilies, California poppies, hollyhock, rosemary, verbena, campion rose, salvias, alyssum, feverfew, wild strawberries (and just about anything I can find seed packets or seedlings of).

Thanks Patricia.....I guess this means I'm off to do some seed shopping. LOL!!!

I've avoided poppies thinking that its too hot here...do they work for you in Alabama?

Carole

Some of my poppies continue coming back; they only last a short while but the California poppies do GREAT.

My sister lives in Lexington and she tells me nothing has started there yet. It's just been too cold. I wouldn't worry about your delphs yet. If after spring finally does come and the bulbs have bloomed and other perennials are coming up there is still no signs of life dig around the root ball and see if they look like viable roots. If so leave then still and wait some more. If they look shrivled and dry well then I guess you can say they're dead.

Hoov, I love your sister's Alaskan delphs!

Great stories and info about the Larkspur.

Carole, since my cosmos got 4 to 5 feet tall here, if I planted them with my roses you'd never see the roses! I stopped planting the cosmos a last year. They are such a bee magnet and they were close to the walkway and I got stung several times. Funny thing is I plant zinnias there too and the bees (and the butterflies) love that too but I never got stung once last year.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I never plant my zinnias anywhere near my roses because they get covered in PM in the late summer and fall. I don't need to add to my roses disease issues.

Thanks Seil.....I wondered about the height. I did see some dwarf varieties, I wonder if they'd work better.

Also Miss Patricia today is the day I figured out that there is a difference between Poppies and California Poppies. So of course I found a website and ordered a variety of California Poppy seeds.

I have got so stay away from Garden Web on cold days...always costs me money. ;-)

Carole

I'm in zone 7 and I'm only just seeing a few tiny leaves emerging. You'll probably see something in the next couple of weeks.

I suppose if there is powdery mildew in your area, your roses might get powdery mildew but for 25-30 years I have never had powdery mildew on roses secondary to zinnias. Oh, my the old wives' tales we endure.

My delphs are just now poking little leaves up above the mulch and I am nearly 2 zones warmer than you so I would say that there is still hope yours will come back.

Carol

Another delphinium lover here. The first time I tried, I planted nursery bought plants in full in the middle of July. No wonder they melted away. I sowed some Pacific Giants seeds that winter using the winter sowing method, not expecting much since they aren't the easiest of germinators. I have been able to germinate seeds the last two years and the seedlings have done well :). Some plants have returned for the third year this year. Pacific Giants 2007 Sunsprite Pacific Giants

Delphiniums have become a passion of mine and I have done a lot of research into growing them. Here in the eastern states they are only perennial in USDA Zones 4-6, but can be grown as annuals in zone 7. Summer heat is what really does them in. My summers are hot and humid but relatively shorter than in zones 7-9. Even in zone 6b I must take measures to grow them successfully. Here is the general nuts and bolts:

1) Location-location-location. Perennial in USDA Zones 4-6; 4-9 in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest.

2) Soil. Prefers neutral to slightly alkaline soil. For growing with roses aim for neutral pH. Wood ash can be put down to lightly alter the pH to the alkaline range.

3) Light. Must have shade from Western sun in zones 6 & 7. A flower bed against an east facing wall is ideal for Delphiniums.

4) Feeding. Delphiniums are heavy feeders. Put down compost once a month during the growing season. Can use Rosetone but watch out for soil acidifcation.

5) Choose the right delphiniums. Unless you live in Alaska or the Pacific Northwest, avoid the Pacific Giants altogether. The New Millennium hybrids are more heat tolerant and easier to grow. The shorter D. belladonna and the Magic Fountain series are also worth investigating.

6) Disease. Delphiniums are prone to crown rot. Lay down corn meal on the surface of the bed. Corn meal has been shown to prevent crown rot by encouraging antagonistic fungi. Amend beds to improve drainage. Mine are in a raised flower bed.

7) Watch out for slugs. These slimy things consider the delphinium a delicious dessert. Rinsed egg shells and diatomaceous earth can be put down to slice the slugs into ribbons.

8) Stake early. Trust me, don't wait till it rains. Yes staking is a pain but the effect is sooooo worth it.

9) Water. Keep soil moist and cool, but not soggy. You will be sorry if you let the ground get hard and dry.

Image of Blue Lace NEW MILLENNIUM delphinium by Tivoli Rose.
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I treat them as an annual only 1 every repeated for me in all these years/ Favoriteis Yankee Clipper about 25 to 30 inches tall deep true blue. Any of the larger varieties almost always toppled and I never liked the looks of all the staking needed to keep the up

One advice re Kosmos. Get the dwarf varieties. The regular Kosmos in rich soil (among roses) tends to grow to a 5' shrub and leans on the roses. Not a very pretty sight.
Don't ask how I know that...

re Delphinium - I doubt that summer heat 'does them in'. I think summer moisture does them in, exactly because they are prone to crown rot, they need to stay dry during summer dormancy. California and the PNW are dry in summer so Delphiniums survive and bloom for them a second time in the fall. If I do not forget, I want to sprinkle some Aliette around the plants in June to see if that helps to prevent root rot (here referred to as 'southern blight').

I didn't notice that Delphiniums do any better if I put lime around them but I didn't do that too often...

Patricia, yes, the key to transplant Larskpur seedlings to do that till they are small. Peony poppies however didn't transplant for me even when were babies. It took them a long time to develop some roots again and by that time the heat hit us and they died.

Molineux, your delphiniums are beautiful! I only wish I could grow them like that and moreover, each and every rose you grow is equally beautiful. You have really grown some beauties, as is evidenced by your beautiful rose pictures. Now that you have that garden up grown and beautiful, we look forward to seeing pictures of your garden vignettes come rose-bloom time. It has just taken patience and time, but you have done it. Most of us only dream of growing such beautiful plants.

Patricia,

Thank you for your kind remarks but my friend Susan (Tivoli Rose) grew and took that picture so the credit belongs to her. That particular delphinium is Blue Lace. I have it along with the deeper blue Royal Aspirations. Both are tall delphiniums in the classic English style. They are growing along with GLAMIS CASTLE & SOUVENIR DE LA MALMAISON in a small raised flower bed next to a porch on the east facing side of my house. I started growing delphiniums in this spot in 2005. Last week I checked on the bed and yes they are sprouting. I also sowed seeds this spring, although a bit later than I had originally hoped. I have my fingers crossed. I'm including a link below to my original thread posted at the Antique Roses Forum. There are no pics at the moment as I don't a digital camera.

Best wishes,

Patrick

Here is a link that might be useful: Roses and Delphiniums

Marie, I believe it is "humidity plus heat" that kills delphiniums. I used to garden in a cold and very wet conditions, where it could be rain almost every day, almost standing water. The high day temp around 70-80 deg. Delphiniums thrived in that climate. You could hardly kill them, even if you try hard. So definitely they are not afraid of humidity if it is not accompanied by heat.
Olga

One advice re Kosmos. Get the dwarf varieties. The regular Kosmos in rich soil (among roses) tends to grow to a 5' shrub and leans on the roses. Not a very pretty sight.
Don't ask how I know that...

re Delphinium - I doubt that summer heat 'does them in'. I think summer moisture does them in, exactly because they are prone to crown rot, they need to stay dry during summer dormancy. California and the PNW are dry in summer so Delphiniums survive and bloom for them a second time in the fall. If I do not forget, I want to sprinkle some Aliette around the plants in June to see if that helps to prevent root rot (here referred to as 'southern blight').

I didn't notice that Delphiniums do any better if I put lime around them but I didn't do that too often...

Patricia, yes, the key to transplant Larskpur seedlings to do that till they are small. Peony poppies however didn't transplant for me even when were babies. It took them a long time to develop some roots again and by that time the heat hit us and they died.

One year I got delphinium from Jason in mid March and they got high as my waist by June 1. I had planned to take pictures of them the following day (we had an outdoor dinner thing planned). I was going out before I got dinner ready just to take pictures before anyone got there and found them all on the ground as if they had been cut with scissors. Danged cut worms.

The one thing I didn't see mentioned, you have to make sure your delphiniums don't overflower, they're not the smartest plants they produce too many flowers and exhaust themselves in the process and die. If you didn't control the number of flower spikes the previous year there's a chance they literally flowered themselves to death and didn't store energy to come back this year.

1st year Delpiniums must only be allowed to have 1 flower spike.

2nd year Delphinums must only be allowed to have up to 3 flower spikes.

3rd year and up Delphiniums must only be allowed up to 5 flower spikes.