Lupines

I've enjoyed a long love affair with lupines. I especially love their peppery smell which reminds me so much of walking through the garden of my great aunts. But I have found them to be on the "difficult" side in the zones in which I have gardened. They do appreciate a bit of shade and they are leery of winter. I sometimes have to consider them to be annuals (albeit expensive annuals!). It's been tricky to buy them mature enough to flower the same season as purchase, yet young enough to set forth blooms without transplant trauma to the foliage. But lupines, I will never give up on you. I knew my lupines this year were "pot luck" colors. I couldn't have been happier. I had never seen a raspberry one such as the one pictured here.

I was also happy with my apricot and yellow lupine, especially when I looked past my apricot iris to see it. Which brings me to the dilemna with which I am always faced when the lupine begins to go to seed. If I leave it alone the seed pods will dry, burst and sprinkle seeds for new plants next year. But the waiting period leaves me with a plant that is unsightly such as ......

this. My solution this year was to cut back all but one stalk, pretend I didn't see that stalk and enjoy them while they lasted! I may lose the mother plant over the winter, but hopefully she will leave me in charge of her children.