Hi Savona - I have started Verbascum chaixii "alba", V. phoeniceum, and V. nigrum with good success and they have all turned out to be excellent garden plants. Of course, good old V. thapsus would probably also be easy to start...

I have these in my zone 2 garden, all perennials, all wintersowed.
Verbascum chaixii 'Album'
Verbascum chaixii
Verbascum nigrum
Verbascum phoeniceum 'Mixed'
and
Verbascum thapsus Great Mullein - biennial

Sharon

I've got
Verbascum phoeniceum 'Mixed'
Verbascum hybridum 'Banana Custard' (T&M seed)

Both were wintersowed and both have self seeded. My preference is the 'Banana Custard' for richness in colour.

Shauna

Thank you for the replies everyone.Now I feel confident to add more to my shopping cart. It was the Banana Custard that really made me want want want :-)..savona

Verbascum nigrum is totally bulletproof and actually pretty rampant (perennial and seedy) for me. I planted it in hot, unwatered builder's fill (cruddy soil) beside my work and it does great. Customers ask about it all the time. I get some complaints about the bees though.

When i've sent verbascum seeds to people, i give them a warning: Deadhead!!!! Otherwise you'll be absolutely inundated with verbascums. They're a mixed blessing, imo. This summer i saved a few seed heads and have shaken the seeds out along our road. If they grow (they probably won't because i want them to! LOL), it will be gorgeous!