No, your timing is fine. I have hundreds of larkspur sprouts already, but my seeds fell from the plants last summer.

Our winter and spring has been so dry here that I don't have as many larkspur seedlings popping up as I usually do. Normally, I am pulling them out like weeds, there are so many more than I need. This year, it looks like there will be just enough.

The seeds can lie there patiently for a long time until they sprout. I have always liked them, but this year I have found them tiresome--rather weedy. So I'm pulling up some as I work on my flower beds. It's nice to have a flower that won't fail me, though.

I spread my seeds in th fall for spring bloom. I have had good success.

I don't even have to sow them at all. They come up year after year, reseeding themselves. They usually do reseed heavily, I find I pull them out like weeds. They need a cold period to germinate,debarron, so perhaps you are sowing them too late? Mine drop seed in the fall, the seed sits there all winter, then in the spring, when it's just warming up but nighttime temps are cool, they come up. Try scattering them where you want them in the fall, or even winter in Arkansas would be good, I think.

I sow in fall as well...just nothing happens. Same with coreopsis tinctoria.

Maybe its too hot in Arkansas? Larkspur and delphiniums do seem to prefer cool weather.

Delphs are definitely temporary here. I've seen (in childhood) gardens that had tons of larkspur (also in hotter Oklahoma...even this year). But yes, I would agree it's probably not the best place to grow them.