I now grow Foxy every year after messing around with all kinds of other foxgloves. "Blooms the first year" is a bit of a misnomer, IMO. They are biennial and bloom in the second year. When we buy the seedlings in the fall or early spring here on the coast, they are essentially ready for their second year. They may have had a short and forced first year, but when we get them they are ready to go towards bloom. FHI, they are bigger and better if you plant them in Nov/Dec, if you can. I did two batches this year, side by side. There is no comparison in height and bloom. The Fall batch went 6' and the February batch is barely getting to 3'.

I cut the big stalk off when it's not fun to look at anymore. There are usually lots of side blooms on the original stalks and new rosettes will grow from the base, so there will be more, usually shorter blooms. But the heat and dryness make me bail on them by mid June. Really depends on whether or not your location can keep them happy temp and water wise. They can go longer in part shade, but then they don't bloom as well for me. And with shade comes the leaning....

Enjoy!

Mine have been in the gardens for years and have seeded just about everywhere. They drop their seeds and begin to grow the same year, then bloom the 2nd year. They are normally gone by mid-June, but who knows what this strange weather will bring. I pull them when other nearby plants start to put on their show.

Gee, I wish they would reseed here. I agree with kristine- I plant them in fall if I can find them, in winter or early spring if necessary. I have only had one plant return with vigor to bloom a second year, so I rip them out now after I cut the first bloom stalk off and the second shorter stalks are done. I just love them.
Renee

To get them to reseed, you must allow the dead stalk to remain on the plant for a long time. If you rip them out because they are an eye sore, they won't reseed for you. Some of mine the apricot beauty will sometimes bloom the first year. It depends on the weather. This year they all bloomed the first year, but the giant Shirley is on the second year. I don't leave them in to bloom twice, because they are all diseased by the time they are done blooming. If you leave them up a long time until the seeds mature, you can get reblooms and they transplant well. Then compost the rest of the them for reseeds all over the garden where you put the compost. If you even cut them down and leave them lying on the ground for a while they will reseed right there. I did that once, I was too lazy to put them away.

That's true... you have to let the seed capsules mature and then sprinkle the seeds any where you want plants.