Online Nurseries 2001 - Avant Gardens
Sometimes, even the perennial foxgloves are short-lived, so be sure to save some of the copiously produced seed. It's dust fine. You want to cut the seed stalks back to the rosette, once seed has ripened. If I want more foxglove, I just wave a handful of these stalks around the area where I want it to grow. If your conditions are favorable, seedlings will cover the ground like moss.
Foxgloves prefer a loose, organic soil that drains well but does not dry out, in partial shade. They will grow in full sun, too, and probably need it at the northern ends of their range. I've never found seedlings in really dense shade. They will tolerate a wide range of soil conditions, but will not reach their glory in the solid concrete that passes for soil in some gardens.
Spiranthes cernua v. odorata (syn: S. odorata) , the nodding ladies tresses, are hardy terrestrial orchids who grow in the ground, as opposed to the tender tropical orchids one thinks of when seeing the word 'orchid', who are often epiphytic .
Since another of that type, Bletilla striata has proven happy in my garden for years, I want to try some others.
Spiranthes cernua v. odorata is said to be easy and tough; a late summer to fall bloomer who wants moist to boggy soil conditions...a perfect addition to my "bog" garden.
A southern form of S. cernua, according to some and a separate species according to others, it's found in coastal regions from Virginia to Florida and west to Texas. It's rated hardy from USDA zones 3 to 9 and prefers sun to light or part shade, where its ground hugging, dark green rosettes will spread slowly via underground rhizomes in very moist soil.
In autumn, flower spikes, spiraled with the highly fragrant bell-shaped flowers emerge. These can range (depending on resource) from one foot or fifteen inches to three feet tall (0.3 - 0.38 - 1m). The scent is said to be a cross between vanilla and jasmine...mmmm, heavenly. In the southern end of its range, it will flower all winter.
The name Spiranthes comes from two Greek words, 'speira' meaning spiral and 'anthos' which means flower. They get the 'nodding' part of their common name because of the nodding habit of the individual florets that form the flower spike.
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