I've gotten a Lupine to bloom for me in Raleigh. It actually reseeded twice in the lawn and once in the original bed. I'm sure you may have better luck in the upstate. Sweet peas should do fine here, but are a cool season plant so they won't show as much through the dog days of summer (correct me if I'm wrong). I have not had any experience with delphiniums, but I have heard of some success stories...although it takes some effort. Seems like most people use larkspur as delphinium replacements and baptisia as lupine replacements. Good luck!

Annual sweet peas seem to be really hard to grow well here in the piedmont of NC, as the cold in the winter or the heat in the spring usually get them before they can do anything. They grow like weeds in the mountains but the mountains are a different climate zone. Perennial sweet pea (no fragrance) does really well though.

I am in Greer SC and the heat is too much for delphiniums and Lupines. They are treated as an annual here.

I have had some O.K. success with sweet peas.

I've just put in a delphinium (morning sun only; shaded by a tree in the afternoon) and am hoping for the best. I've also just planted a lupine, only to learn that it'll wilt in the heat, which it's already doing, but so far revives with watering. We plant fragrant sweet peas by seed in March and they bloom until it gets too hot, which was a couple of weeks ago.

Try searching old threads for sweet pea advice (and the others, actually- there have been multiple threads about all 3). I've had good luck planting sweet peas in fall, leaving the seedlings on the ground and providing them with something to climb after the worst of the frosts are over. Cover them if it's to get below 20. If you start them in spring it's almost always too late. Early winter or during a warm spell in jan works, too- helps to soak the seed first. They don't transplant well. The perennial ones are dead easy to the point of being pests. If you ever make it up to the raleigh area i always have extras, or i may be able to save you some seed and mail it. I treat most all of the cool season veggie crops the same way with great success.

Delphs will do ok occasionally if you can find the right size at the right time, and we have a long cool spring like this year, which frankly is rare. Even then, they die after bloom- there's no such thing as a perennial delph here. Larkspurs are a great substitute and much less finicky. You broadcast the seed in fall for spring bloom.

Lupines are basically the same story. Baptisia and thermopsis are wonderful perennials that will get more gorgeous every year. They don't come in the same range of colors, but the pool is ever expanding (right now, blue, purple, white and yellow about cover it). Broom would be another potential look similar plant, that's also in the pea clan. It comes in the burgundies and pinks that baptisia and thermopsis don't yet, as well as chrome yellow. It is hard to find, though.

Tammy so you have had good luck with the annual sweet peas? I remember Lynn had a thread a couple years back where for the first time in 20 years they did well for her, lol. Here's the link.

I posted in that thread. Yup- on the years i get them in in nov or dec, they do really well for me. Self seeded ones do great. Unfortunately, i didn't get them out when i should have this year. I was at carla/ratgirl's the other day and she has a gorgeous patch this year. It would have been perfect conditions after the drought broke. I just was too busy.

Wow - what a surprise to see that thread again - I must admit they were beautiful that year - and true to form I haven't been able to duplicate it again. The nexy year I didn't get any germination - this year I got them in late - they did germinate and are just now starting to bloom but not near the quantity I had that year. I love them so much that I will always try - some things are just worth the wait .....

Lynne