Comparing Lupine varieties — notes from growing several

I've grown several varieties within the Lupine family and have some observations to share. self-seeding and naturalising without annual replanting varies noticeably between them, more than catalogue descriptions suggest. The care fundamentals are shared — scarifying or scratching the soil before sowing for seed contact applies across all of them.

poor germination in compacted or clay soils affects some more than others, particularly in adverse conditions. I grow mine in a wildlife pond margin planting which works well for most varieties. early spring bulbs and annual seedling germination is the clearest moment of differentiation between varieties — that's when the character of each comes through. Worth growing a few side by side if you have the space.