Lupinus polyphyllus West Country Blossom

The Lupin ‘Blossom', from the excellent 'West Country' series, is a charming new addition with a fairly compact growth habit, and its flowers are a pretty pale pink. They are gathered in generous spikes that appear from the beginning of summer. Very sturdy, this new generation lupin, which doesn't require staking, produces magnificent, remarkably coloured spikes; it is undoubtedly a masterpiece for perennial borders. It brings a lot of verticality and a very romantic touch to landscape compositions, especially when accompanied by pastel blooms.

It is commonly accepted that Russell hybrid lupins are hybrids obtained by cross-breeding Lupinus polyphyllus, a perennial plant native to North America, and Lupinus hartwegii, an annual Mexican species. The best of them were patiently selected in the 1930s by a gardener named George Russell, who was passionate about Lupins. Since then, other enthusiasts have taken over and dedicated themselves to obtaining robust, floriferous, and very reliable varieties. It is in England that the 'West Country' varieties were recently born. Vigorous, disease-resistant, with sturdy flower stems and large spikes of light and vibrant coloured flowers, these lupins are excellent garden plants.

The 'Blossom' lupin is a bushy and vigorous herbaceous perennial plant, forming clumps of 50 to 75 cm (20 to 30in) in height when in bloom and 50 cm (20in) in width, with rapid growth. In late spring and early summer, in May-June, it displays plump spikes, sometimes reaching 50 cm (20in) in length, with a slightly stiff but very graphic appearance, densely adorned with pea-like flowers measuring 1 to 3 cm (0 to 1in), blending the light pink of the fully bloomed flowers with the cream of the flower buds, in a very soft harmony. The lush and vibrant green foliage distinguishes itself from other legumes by its palmate leaves, with a minimum of 5 leaflets radiating from a single petiole. The vegetation disappears in winter and re-emerges in spring.

The 'West Country' hybrid lupins are plants with very good hardiness that spread without aggression and prove resistant to diseases. Their only weakness is the attraction they exert towards slugs and snails, which will need to be protected against. Perfect in poor soils, but devoid of limestone, perennial lupins readily self-sow in gardens that suit them. Soften their somewhat stiff silhouettes with plants with rounded curves, such as roses and oriental poppies, in matching colours. They thrive in the company of hollyhocks and peonies, creating beautiful low-maintenance borders. In natural areas, associate them with sainfoin, alfalfa, vetches, and grasses.