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Growing tip
Delphinium 'Little Flamingo' may be short, but don't be tempted to grow it in a patio pot.

The roots of Elatum-type Delphiniums are very sensitive to moisture levels, and when they grow to the edge of a pot, the difference between the temperatures inside and outside the pot causes condensation to form on the root, which kills the plants very quickly.  

This is strictly one for the border!
Hybridiser
 
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Stakeless Delphinium for 2005!
07-02-2005 11:05 Delphinium 'Little Flamingo' is a shorter Elatum type with very strong stems which can stand upright in most gardens without the need for staking.
By Miriam Young   

Available for the first time in 2005, Delphinium 'Little Flamingo' has lavender-pink flowers with white centres.  

The plants will mature to a height of 32"/ 80cm, which is about 16"/40cm shorter than the average Elatum-type Delphinium. This, combined with the plants' extra strong stems gives it a much better-than-average chance of being able to stand upright in the garden without the need for staking.  

'Little Flamingo' is the first in a planned series of stakeless Delphiniums from Kebra Nursery's breeding program to be released.  

A light blue, a dark blue and a purple, all with white centres, along with a dark-blue with a black centre have been selected, and stocks are being built up for a 2007 introduction.  

However, Elatum-type Delphiniums are slow propagators, so 'Little Flamingo' and its cousins will remain in very limited supply for a few years. In fact only 2,500 'Little Flamingo's are being released into the wild in 2005. Catch one if you can!  

Although not sold with the Darwin PlantSpotters label, there is a good chance that nurseries who stock Darwin PlantSpotters varieties might have this too, so check out the stores on the "where to buy" page.

 
Biography
Local Boy Made Good
By Miriam Young
Mark van Kesteren’s story is a simple, yet inspiring tale of achievement earned through hard work, learning from the master and using a little imagination to progress.
The Nursery
Kebra nursery
By Miriam Young
Kebra is jointly owned by Mark van Kesteren and Patrick Brama. Together they look after many new perennial varieties during the vital early production stages.
Breeding work
New possibilities from Kebra
By Miriam Young
Being so involved in the growing of new varieties, it’s only natural that Mark and Patrick should be curious as to how well they can do at creating a few of their own, so in 1999 they set up a breeding program for Delphiniums and Campanulas.