I would be tempted to use empty orange/grapefruit skins close by on an evening and lift & remove slugs etc next morning. Or beer traps not right next to the delphiniums thogh.

They prefer full sun and to limit slugs again I'd but lots of grit around the plants. Sometimes I have covered the plants with 2lt pop bottles, bottoms cut off and shoved into the soil to about 2cm depth. I then take the top off if it is a nice day and leave it on if its not so nice. This looks a mess but it gets the plants up and less likely to be eaten.

thanks seaburngirl, i have tried the plastic bottles but i get the keal slugs coming up through the soil, they are very happy inside the bottle happily chomping away on my delphiniums. also i dont seem to be able to grow delphiniums from plants either, they just disappear. help!

well I am a bit stumped now. try growing thwm in big pots that you start off in a cold frame/greenhouse. then plant the plant, complete with pot, with all the slug protection you can. then in the autumn lift and keep on the dry side in greenhouse/cold frame.

thanks seaburngirl, i will try this, it makes sense so i will see how i get on.