I am in Southern OH and I have "Winter Sown" the Delphiniums two times and they do great with this method. You should check out the Winter Sowing Forum. They will flower the second year. They do come back every year. They are not like the Foxgloves which Flower their 2nd year and then die.

I had better success with Chinese delphs than the usual variety.

That said, for several years, I kept a stand of dwarf Magic Fountains going in Central Ohio; winter-sowing the seeds and adding a few plants every year.

Individual plants never lived very long here, tho; most 2 years, maybe 3. I've been told the hot, humid summers are a bit too much for them.

Yes. I winter sow them as well and then put the container in a dark place. We have an old ancient brick ice house on the farm here and I put the container in there with a paper bag over the top to block out any light. I forget about it and a few weeks later I think of them and go take the stuff off the top and there are baby delphs! Then I take them and put them on a shelf on the front porch---still in the cold--but now they can have light. Also--delphs do better watered from the bottom---less damping off. I set the container in a tray and put the water in there when they need it and let them suck it up from the bottom. Hope this helps.

Aunt Lou