Larkspur 'Guardian'
Larkspur 'Guardian'
Larkspur 'Guardian'
Larkspur 'Guardian'

Multi Buy

Size Guide
3.5
3.5" Perennial
3 or more $6.00 ea
Regularly: $6.99 ea

Larkspur 'Guardian'

Scott's Nursery Ltd.

$3.50
Title

Experience the regal majesty of a classic delphinium tailored perfectly for contemporary gardens. This award-winning F1 hybrid collection sends up incredibly uniform, dense columns packed with beautifully sculpted, satin-like double blossoms. Rising proudly on remarkably thick stems, the flowers catch the light with rich intensity. Its sturdy, architectural blooming power introduces an elite, high-end designer flair to sunny borders, mixed beds, and upscale patio containers.
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Plant Details

Mature Size:

36" H x 15" W

Zone:

4-7

Watering:

Medium to High

Type:

Herbaceous Perennial

Growth Rate:

Fast

Light:

Full Sun

Plant Profile

Common Names:

Guardian Series Delphinium, Guardian F1 Hybrid Larkspur, Early-Blooming Bee Delphinium

Scientific Name:

Delphinium elatum 'Guardian' Series

Type:

Thriller / Architectural Perennial

Growth Details:

Mature Size: 30 to 42 inches tall with a sturdy, compact clumping spread of 12 to 18 inches (Significantly more compact and manageable than older 6-foot varieties).

Growth Habit: Strictly upright, towering, and heavily spired.

Form: Rigid, vertical flower stalks rising above a dense mound of deeply lobed green leaves.

Growth Rate: Fast.

Flowering: Bountiful, dense terminal racemes packed with large, multi-petaled double blossoms up to 2.5 inches across.

Flowering Time: Late spring through early summer, with a secondary flush in early autumn if deadheaded promptly.

Flower Colour: Highly uniform blocks of rich royal blue, soft lavender-pink, sky blue, and pure snow-white.

Environmental Needs:

Exposure: Full sun. Values a small amount of afternoon shelter in exceptionally hot, humid southern zones.

Soil Preferences: Deep, exceptionally fertile, humus-rich, evenly moist garden soils with sharp, clean drainage.

Soil Tolerance: Prefers rich, neutral-to-slightly-alkaline soils; completely intolerant of poor, dry gravel, shallow sand, or waterlogged winter clay.

Watering: Moderate to high. Requires deep, regular watering at the root zone on a weekly schedule; avoid wetting the large leaves to prevent mildew.

Container Role: Performs as a magnificent, towering architectural Thriller in deep estate tubs or whiskey barrels.

Special Features:

Disease Resistances: Highly robust hybrid health; vastly improved natural tolerance to powdery mildew compared to older straight species.

Native Species: No (A highly refined modern hybrid series cultivated from European and Asian alpine species).

Fast Growing: Yes (Quickly shoots up heavy flower stems from its basal rosette).

Attracts: Intensely alluring to hummingbirds, wild bumblebees, honeybees, and butterflies.

Uses: High-impact background borders, cutting gardens (stems make exceptional vertical centerpiece material for large fresh bouquets), and estate backdrops.

Resistance: Highly deer-resistant and rabbit-resistant due to natural chemical compounds present in all parts of the plant, making it unpalatable to wildlife. Note: All parts of this plant are highly toxic if ingested by humans or pets.
Care Guide

Ornamental & Landscape Value

Seasonal Interest:

Bloom Information: Highly showy, dramatic spires of double blossoms that completely dominate the early-summer landscape.

Fall Colour: No significant autumn color variation; foliage stays a rich green until entering winter dormancy.

Garden Value:

Ornamental Interest: Towering, candle-like vertical spires packed with large, frilly double blossoms featuring distinct, dark or light central eyes ("bees").

Landscaping Uses: Ideal for adding premium vertical structure to middle-to-back rows of borders, cottage gardens, grand perimeter backdrops, and professional cutting plots.

Garden / Landscape Benefits: Specially engineered to bloom up to six weeks earlier in the season than traditional open-pollinated varieties. Because it branches heavily and stays significantly shorter and sturdier, it eliminates most of the flopping or snapping issues associated with older types.

Wildlife & Human Value:

  • Wildlife Value: A premier ecological asset for open sunny borders; provides an invaluable deep-nectar fueling station for migrating hummingbirds and large wild bumblebees.
  • Human Value: One of the world's premier commercial cut flowers, offering unparalleled uniformity, rigid stems, and elite visual value to modern floral bouquets and garden spaces.

Planting & Care Guide

Planting Considerations:

Best Time To Plant: Early spring after hard winter freezes pass, or early autumn to let roots anchor before winter.

Spacing: Space individual plants 12 to 18 inches apart to allow the compact rosettes room to expand cleanly while preserving excellent air circulation.

Location Tips: Position behind low-growing perennials to mask the lower stems. Select an open, airy spot with exceptional subsoil drainage.

Companion Plants: Pairs magnificently with white Shasta Daisies, yellow Coreopsis 'Leading Lady', purple Salvias, Peonies, and Foxgloves.

Care:

Light Requirements: Demands absolute full sun to achieve maximum flower spike density and maintain rigid, upright stems.

Moisture Requirements: Requires medium to high moisture; the soil must remain consistently damp, rich, and never be allowed to dry out completely.

Maintenance, Fertilization: Cut the massive central flower spikes completely down to the basal foliage as soon as they finish blooming in early summer. This stimulates the plant to produce a reliable, secondary wave of mid-autumn spikes. This series is a heavy feeder; apply a generous application of rich organic compost and balanced slow-release fertilizer in early spring, followed by monthly liquid feedings during the active growing season.

Tolerances:

Exceptional cold hardiness, cool damp weather, and heavy browsing wildlife pressure.

Tips For Success:

Thinning / Pinching: Do not pinch back the stems. Unlike older varieties, this F1 hybrid features natural, heavy basal branching that automatically builds a multi-stemmed display without pinching.

Support / Staking: While engineered with thick, sturdy stems that are far more wind-resistant than older tall varieties, staking or grow-through grid rings are still recommended in open, windy areas due to the immense weight of the flower spikes.

Special Needs: Keep out of reach of children and grazing pets due to high toxicity. Always wear garden gloves when handling or cutting the stems.

Mulching: Apply a rich layer of organic mulch or leaf compost around the base to keep the root zone cool and retain critical summer moisture.

Winter Protection: None required; completely frost-hardy. Simply clear away dead top-growth in late autumn or early spring to clear a path for fresh green shoots.
Fruit Profile