candle larkspur

Grow in a fertile, well-drained soil in full sun; shelter from strong winds and stake well. For best flower spikes thin shoots when 7cm high to leave a minimum of 2-3 shoots on young plants and 5-7 shoots on established plants

Deadhead by cutting spent flower spikes back to small flowering side shoots. Removing of the flower spikes straight after flowering may encourage a second flush of flowers in late summer. Cut down all growth to ground level after it has withered in autumn

Propagate by taking pencil-thick, basal, softwood cuttings in early spring

Prone to slugs, snails, leaf miners and caterpillars

May be affected by powdery mildews, crown rot and a virus