Snapdragons Are Similar, But Not The Same As Lupins

I live digitalis, snaps and lupins.

My grandmother usually planted snapdragons in one of her beds. She placed them in the back, for height. I can't remember what she planted on the border. Violas or pansies maybe? At any rate, they have pretty colors and a pleasant scent, so I'm all for snapdragons.

There's some landscaping company in Houston that uses snapdragons in its color plantings, but only one color, for some reason. I've seen the same arrangement all over town, so I guess some big company has won a big city contract or something. It's boring, but at least they're trying.

This is what we see in Houston, mostly in a color to replicate bluebonnets, the state flower.

I like all spike-form flowers - Delphiniums, foxglove, lupines, snapdragons, veronicas, peach leaved campanula, foxtail lilies, gladiolus. That angelonia is cool, but I don't think it would be successful in my climate. They're all great for the back of the perennial border, but need shorter, more rounded flowers in front.

Lupins?!

You must be out of your tiny mind.

Have always been a snaps fan, from the small bedders to the tall ones, suitable for cutting. One of the joys of growing Antirhinnums is making them snap. Why deny us the pleasure?

BUT, whoever "Luther Burbank-ed" the non-snapping snaps should be run over with a rotary cultivator.

It's easy to always have snaps in the garden, if you are growing them. At the end of the growing season simply break off the dried seedpods(which readily release the enclosed seeds), and sprinkle the seeds over the areas you want to have snaps in next year. In the colder areas of the country, you can sprinkle them on top of melting snow. This gives them adequate moisture, and the lighting conditions needed for germination. Once the plants are up in the spring, thin and/or transplant as needed.

Always fun to lead a child to a snapdragon, squeeze the flower and show the kid the "dragon's mouth" opening up.

As a child I loved pinching them and making them "snap".