At RHS Chelsea this year, it wasn’t a rare exotic plant or high-tech garden design that caught the eye, but something more familiar. Monty Don has been championing the biennial comeback for years – and at Chelsea 2026, he was everywhere at the Show Gardens.
Among them, one plant in particular continued to catch the eye in the multi-medal winning gardens in white Fox gloves Many medal winners appear in gardens and prove that this is a classic Cottage garden The favorite is the main moment.
such as varieties Digitalis purpurea ‘Alba’ and digitalis ‘Dalmatian White’ helped create the soft, romantic planting style that dominated this year RHS Chelsea Show Gardens. And we’ve got good news for anyone feeling inspired to recreate the look of a home, as Monty Don says now’s the perfect time to get started on this beautiful Biennial.
(Image credit: Future plc / Sophie King)
Why Monty Don says now is the time to sow biennials
Writing on it BlogMonty explains that summer is the ideal time to plant biennials, including Fox gloves. ‘Now is the time to plant wallflowers, honesty, foxgloves, forget-me-nots or sweet rockets for a beautiful display next spring and summer,’ he says.
the opposite Annual flowersUnlike those that grow, flower and die in a single season, biennials take a little longer to reach their full potential.
‘Biennial Unlike annuals, which grow, flower and set seed in the same growing season, they grow quickly from seed and develop strong roots and foliage in one season and then flower in another,’ explains Monty.
Shop my favorite biennials
Thompson and Morgan
Myosotis Sylvatica ‘Blue Ball’ – Seed
Thompson and Morgan
Canterbury Bells Mixed – Seed
Crocus
Elsea Rosa ‘Nigra’
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Garden expert Christopher O’Donoghue says that for bees, this patience pays off, because ‘biennials work on the patient but the two-year cycle is very rewarding’. Revive the garden.
A gardener with over a decade of experience under his belt, Christopher founded Gardens Revived in 2018 with his brother Andrew to build a thriving family business. Since then he has worked on residential gardens, listed buildings and gardens, the award-winning RHS Flower Show Gardens and large estates of over 70 acres – many of historic significance.
‘Contrary to the norm annually That rushes to flower and die in a single season, biennials set the pace to give you massive returns,’ he continues.
‘Because they already have an established root system that waits out the winter, you get a spectacular, mature flower show much earlier in the year than spring-sown annuals.’
Of course, it’s easy to see why foxgloves became one of the definitions Flowers from RHS Chelsea this year; Their tall, elegant spiers add instant vertical interest to planting schemes while their tubular flowers are a magnet for bees and other pollinators. White varieties in particular bring softness and brightness that work beautifully in sunny and partially shaded gardens.
‘I love foxgloves because they give incredible height and structure – and the bees love them,’ says Christopher. ‘But I think what made the white foxgloves so effective in this year’s Chelsea gardens was their ability to lift darker planting schemes. White flowers catch the light beautifully, especially in shady areas, while tall flower spikes create a natural focal point without feeling formal.’
(Image credit: Future plc/David Giles)
How to plant foxgloves and other biennials
According to Monty Don, foxgloves and other biennials are straightforward to grow from seed; All you have to do is sow their seeds thinly in seed trays and cover them lightly with vermiculite (eg Westland’s Grow-Sure Vermiculite, £10 on Amazon) before leaving them to germinate.
‘When the seedlings are big enough to handle, cut them into pots or plugs and grow them on so that the young plants are ready to be planted in early autumn where you want them to flower next May,’ he advises.
Christopher recommends choosing a space that mimics the natural plantings seen in Chelsea, suggesting that you ‘let plants flow through the borders rather than isolated specimens’.
Foxgloves in particular look most effective through knitting the grasssuch as Attractive pink muhli grass from £7.49 at Crocus, Fern such as sculpture Japanese Lace Fern, from £7.49 at CrocusAnd Cottage garden perennial As Delphiniums (‘Highlander Sweet Sensation’, from £12.99 at Thompson & Morganmake great cut flowers), where their flower spikes can emerge naturally from surrounding plantings,’ he says.
Shop the most beautiful foxglove varieties
Crocus
Digitalis purpurea ‘Dalmatian White’ (Dalmatian Series)
You won’t be disappointed with this new foxglove if you want to see immediate results, as it will almost always bloom within its first year (sometimes with a second flush!).
Crocus
Digitalis purpurea ‘Palm’s Choice’
Our white not your vibe? These spotted two-tone flowers appear on sturdy stems during summer and are very attractive to bees.
Thompson and Morgan
Foxglove ‘Foxy’ Seeds
The beauty of these flowers in pink hues may be short-lived, but it will Self-seed freely in the right place.
Whatever you choose, just keep in mind that foxgloves are poisonous if eaten, so gardeners with small children or pets should be careful when deciding where to plant them.
FAQs
Does the biennial last only 2 years?
While it is commonly believed that biennials last only two years, this is not correct; Individual plants usually have a two-year cycle, but that doesn’t mean your garden only gets them for two years.
After flowering, the original plant usually dies, but many biennials self-seed independently, producing new plants year after year. And, as Monty Don points out in him BlogThis has plenty of benefits, including the fact that biennials establish early, survive the winter and then ‘produce flowers quickly in the spring without waiting for the plant’s first growth’. No wonder gardeners value them for reliable seasonal displays, eh?
What does it mean when a plant is biennial?
A biennial is a plant that completes its life cycle in two growing seasons instead of one. As Monty Don explains in his BlogBiennials ‘grow quickly from seed and develop strong roots and foliage in one season and then flower in another’.
In practice, that means you plant them one year, they establish and survive the winter, and then they flower the following spring or summer before setting seed and completing their life cycle.
Honestly, if this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show proved anything, it’s that biennials like foxgloves Traditional cottage garden plants. Follow Monty Don’s advice, then, and plant them now; If you do, you can enjoy the most stylish flowers of the season in your own garden next spring.
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