These quintessential country flowers relish the dappled shade often cast in built-up areas – and there’s a variety for everyoneI’ve only ever gardened in cities, and I’ve lived in them for more than half my life, but my rural roots show when it comes to foxgloves. They are steeped in the lore of Beatrix Potter illustrations and the first warm walks of the year down country lanes. Because they typically bloom in May, it’s rare to see a Chelsea flower show without any, and it’s here I’ve learned that these quintessential cottage garden flowers work just as well in contemporary urban gardens, where some varieties can be cajoled into a container and relish the part-shade often found in built-up areas.When I first started gardening, I was baffled by the distinction between annuals and perennials, and ashamed to say so. For the uninitiated, annuals begin and end their lifecycle (growing from seed, flowering, setting seed and dying) in a year, while perennials return in subsequent years, sometimes bulking up or waning, depending on their longevity and the growing conditions. Then there are biennials, which complete their lifecycle over two years, and this is the group most foxgloves belong to. That means that if you want flowers next year, you’re nearing your last chance to sow them. They will put down roots and create a rosette of green leaves by Christmas, before sending up flower spikes, blooming and setting seeds next summer. Continue reading...