Foxglove 'Glory of Roundway'

Full frontal! June 2003

How very nice, I was wondering when you were going to show one of your foxgloves. Question, How do you grow them in containers without having them get pot bound? We had three that litterly out grew there pots, I think we used 3 gallon ones.

Hi Ign

Most Foxgloves aren't nearly so vigorous as the Common Foxglove and take a longer time to make a clump.

The D. purpurea (common foxglove) has a much heavier demand on soil and moisture than the species and their hybrids like Glory of Roundway, but the purpurea is also much easier to grow. If you have the space, the purpurea would much prefer to be out in the garden. It's the largest Foxglove and does enjoy space but will be fine in a pot.

The chap above and the other Foxgloves (other than the purpurea that is) are all in pots, our soil is too heavy and wet to support them for more than a year. The species 'gloves flower later in the year and those that wanted to flower this year have just decided to do so!

Baa - Look at this one I noticed today. It planted itself in my bark mulch path. The picture doesn't show it too wll but I don't think I've had one that was so dark. Even the stem is purple. I cut one of the regular purplish ones to put next to it for comparison.

Beautiful silky Foxgloves Poppysue!

The dark purple is akin to our native wild types but the purple stem is something more unusual. I wonder if it will pass the stem colour on?

I'll have to mark this one for seeds and find out.

Baa,
Do you ever worry about pets/animals around your foxglove? I just got one and was concerned about putting it in a safe place as I heard it could be toxic.
Thanks in advance for your help,
yvana :)

Poppysue,

Please let us know how they turn out! Incidently did you get any peloric types again this year?

Yvana,

Pets? we have chickens, ducks, cats and a dog roaming the garden including around the poisonous plants.

You're right, Foxgloves are toxic and can be fatal in some instances but as long as the animals aren't chewing/pecking/billing them, they should be fine. Most animals avoid these types of plant anyway but some do develop a habit of plant eating. In that senario, you can always use a pepper spray on the leaves to put them right off trying it twice. The worst culprits are small children, like earnest looking nephews and neices, but Foxgloves don't have shiny berries and if they're anything like me (child or adult) they will be more likely to be wearing the flowers on their fingers than tasting the leaves. As always, it's best to wash hands after being out in the garden anyway ... Oh no I'm beginning to sound like my Mother ;)

Thanks, Baa! I will plant it where small children can't get to it!! I thought my cats were smart enough not to eat it, but I wanted to get your advice, just in case, because I know you are a great animal lover!!

Take care,
yvana :)

Always a pleasure. If the cats do start having a chew, you might have to move it but they hate being transplanted, I shouldn't think they would though, I understand it's quite a bitter leaf (from an adult who decided centuries of herbal knowledge was duff, sheesh LOL... some people!)

Does anyone know of a source for 'Glory of Roundway' in the USA?

Thanks for any help you can provide. This is one I would REALLY like to have!

Tamma
tlnugent@cox.net