A couple of years ago we went to South Wales on holiday. Imagine our delight to find we were just a stone’s throw from The National Botanic Gardens of Wales.

We actually went twice in the week we were there, and the second time came across the beautiful and stunning Lobelia Cardinale.

If like me, you thought lobelias were little blue flowers that people put in their hanging baskets to trail over the edge, be prepared for a surprise. These are tall and bright red!

We decided we would like to get some for our garden, and so I went online and found somewhere that sold them. We got 6 plug plants and nurtured them. One died and one was eaten by snails. That one regrew, to my delight when put in a pot separate from the others.

They grew and flourished the first summer, but did not flower, but this year, to our delight, they are magnificent. I promised to post some pictures, so here they are.

I’m afraid the last two are not perfectly in focus. My camera was trying to focus on the farther shoots!

Do you know of this variety of lobelia? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments.