I never grow delphiniums – it’s just too depressing seeing the slugs and snails munch them to extinction, no matter what barriers or control methods I use. And this year I’m sure that this has been a pretty general problem, so this breathtaking display on the trial grounds at Wisely was all the more impressive. I think the key to growing them successfully is not to mix them with other plants which provide cover and useful slithering off points for the gastropods. There was a wide margin of bare soil around the plants – fine for a trial ground, less so for a garden.