European Gardening: 3 years in the making!, 0 by sueone

sueone wrote:
If I manage to do this right (with me and computers, there's no knowing ! ) there should be a photo of my hubby and daughter with my prized echium.
I've always admired these in photos, especially at Tresco, where I believe they grow like weeds. Well, three years ago I got some seeds, managed to germinate twelve of them ,and grew them on in the greenhouse for the first yer. They were planted out in various spots in the garden next yer, and over the folowing two years all, bar one succumbed to one thing or another. I watched anxiously over the remaining one,as it grew taller and taller, hoping that winds wouldn't get it, cold weather,(didn't think any bugs would be brave enough to tackle it ! )and finally this 'summer? ' it's flowered, and I'm soooooo chuffed, I just had to take a photo of it.
But, I'm not too sure what happens to it after? does it die? can I cut it back? will hundreds pop up all over the neighbourhood?For now though, I just keep looking at it to check that it's still there! Does anyone else have a plant that they've been desperate to succeed with?The other one I cannot grow despite all measurs taken are lupins, I must have airborne molluscs around here !!!!I doesn't matter how big I let them get in pots before I plant them, as soon as they're in the ground, overnight they dissapear.