Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd
Larkspur Fancy Purple Picotee
Larkspur Fancy Purple Picotee
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Larkspur 'Fancy Purple Picotee' Seeds
If standard block-colours feel a little flat, 'Fancy Purple Picotee' adds instant sophistication. Each fully double, ruffled white blossom is delicately edged with a fine line of vibrant violet-purple. From a distance, it looks like shimmering lilac; up close, it looks like it has been painted by hand with a fine brush.
This is a florist's dream flower. The vertical spires add crucial height to bouquets, while the intricate bi-colour pattern adds detail and depth without overwhelming other blooms. It is robust, reliable, and dries to perfection, allowing you to keep that "hand-painted" beauty for winter wreaths.
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🌿 Understanding the Plant
Larkspur is a **Hardy Annual**.
It completes its life cycle in one season. It is a "cool flower," meaning it puts down its best roots in the cold soil of autumn or early spring.
The "Fridge Trick": Larkspur seeds can be stubborn if they get too warm. To guarantee germination, put the sealed packet in your fridge freezer for 7 days before sowing. This "cold shock" wakes the seed up!
🌱 Growing Guide: How to Sow and Grow
Larkspur hates root disturbance, so direct sowing is the secret to big, healthy plants.
Germination:
Sow directly outdoors in Autumn (Sept) for the tallest, earliest flowers, or Early Spring (March-April). Scatter seeds onto raked soil and cover lightly. They need darkness to germinate, so ensure they are covered with soil or a board. Germination takes 14-28 days.
Where to Sow:
They demand **full sun** and fertile, well-drained soil. Dig in some compost before sowing to feed the flower spikes.
Care While Growing:
Support: These are tall plants (up to 1m). In exposed gardens, stake them early or grow them through netting to stop the heavy spikes snapping in the wind.
📋 Plant Specifications
| Latin Name | Consolida ajacis |
| Common Name | Larkspur 'Fancy Purple Picotee' |
| Hardiness | H3 (Hardy Annual) |
| Light Required | Full Sun ☀️ |
| Height | ↕️ 90cm - 100cm (Tall) |
| Spread | ↔️ 30cm |
| Spacing | 🌱 25cm apart |
| Great for | ✂️ Cut Flowers 🎨 Artistic Arrangements 🍂 Drying 👰 Weddings |
| Seed Count | Approx. 150 seeds per packet |
🤝 Perfect Garden Companions
The vertical stripes of purple need soft, round companions to balance the look:
- ❄️ Ammi Majus (Queen Anne's Lace): The perfect partner. The flat, white lacy heads of Ammi contrast with the tall, solid spikes of Larkspur. The pure white of the Ammi highlights the crisp white centre of the Picotee larkspur.
- 🌸 Cosmos 'Purity': Soft & Flowing. The large, round faces of white Cosmos soften the rigid lines of the Larkspur stems. Plant the Larkspur in the middle of the border and the Cosmos towards the front.
📅 Sowing & Flowering Calendar
Sow in Autumn (for biggest plants) or Spring. Flowers early-to-mid summer.
| Month | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow Outdoors | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | |||||||
| Flowers | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 |
⚠️ Toxicity Warning
Larkspur belongs to the Delphinium family, which means all parts of the plant are toxic if ingested. Keep seeds away from small children and wash hands after handling.
🏆 Officially Recognised Excellence
This plant is excellent for biodiversity. Consolida ajacis is listed on the RHS Plants for Pollinators list, providing a feast for bees in the early summer garden.
