I don't grow this plant. Never have, but they are used a lot in mass plantings around here. From my observations, it looks like they aren't a neat and tidy plant, but that's a part of their charm. It's simply their nature to do whatever they want including flopping and growing every which direction. I would suspect you have to have a garden that accommodates their behavior, because you aren't going to change it. I simply can't imagine this plant staked.

Kevin

In a way, I do have a garden that accommodates their behavior, in the sense that I have the rustic fence and lots of space. And, I think I shouldn't have used the word "stake." I am hoping to come up with a way to make them sprawl less, not force them to look like delphiniums.

why ever would you do that (staking), ladyslipper. Yours look quite delightful as they are.

It's funny you mentioned yours growing through a rustic fence. I just noticed one around here, a few hours ago, doing the same thing. It looked perfect to me.

Kevin

Thanks, Campanula. But I took the pic after shoving them up with chicken wire. I guess the saving grace is that the silvery-green foliage masks the silvery chicken wire! If no one comes up with other ideas, I think next year I will make a tent with chicken wire, with the top of the tent at the top of the fence and the bottom of the tent on the ground about 2 feet out.

Just wondering...do you cut your plant back to about 6" in the spring? After it grows another foot, it can be cut back half again.

ditto what mollydog says... I cut them back hard in spring once the new buds start appearing so you can see where the new growth will be. Then I cut them back at least once, and sometimes twice, once they put out the new growth and start to look a bit rangy. Some of mine are 10 years old now and quite woody at the base. If I cut them down into the woody base, they still sprout new growth, so I have no hesitation in cutting them back whenever they need it. I have been removing the short ones (Little Spire)because I find they spread a lot from the roots and were getting quite invasive! The big ones do seed somewhat but seem less prone to spreading from the roots.

I appreciate the advice from Molly and Woody. I do cut it to about 6" in the spring, but have never done it twice in a season. That sounds promising. Thanks again.

Even with cutting back, they are a floppy plant especially if a heavy rain and/or wind hits it. Which, eventually, it will every season. But this habit is part of its charm, to a degree. I do cut back in Spring and then give it a haircut to a foot when it gets around two feet, which helps a bit. But next year I plan to sink a big black tomato cage around it at the two foot stage...I do this with other plants, such as maltese cross, and in two weeks you can't even see the cage. I do this more to keep plants from overwhelming their neighbours than to prevent the floppiness of the plant itself, if you see what I mean.

I have some in very dry, full sun all day, poor soil, on a hill, and those never flop. I have a large mass planting in good soil with mulch but still full sun and those do flop but are full and lush. They look really nice in winter.

I do not stake them. I do cut them back again if I remember but mine get too much shade and always flop.