Alternative to staking delphiniums

I use circular metal plant supports - get them in any GC or on line. I put them in where I know the plants will come up and then train the new shoots up through the centre. You will need fairly tall ones though. And if you use the shorter canes and put them in a triangular 'cage' formation around the group of plants with twine wound around at different heights, you can't actually see the canes once the delphiniums are in leaf and the plants support themselves. Completely surround with slug pellets though - they LOVE delphiniums!

Thanks for the reply Hillmont - I always knew deep down that there is no alternative to proper support - but I was hoping a miracle support plant had been discovered that I didnt know about (lol) :o) I will see what our local gc has on offer. Thanks again

ooh these def sound a lot nicer than the canes
I too have canes holding mine up and they are awful to look at
maybe these supports will be better
will have other plants hopefully next year too to hide the stems

x x x

I find peasticks less intrusive. I cut the bottoms off so that when stuck in the ground the bushy part is about where the blooms will be. If you use enough they do a good job and hardly show.

my brother uses a small obelisk to grow his up/through. it looks pretty as the plants grow. and when he dead heads them he has the obelisks to look at.