I had a beautiful one for for one summer, lol. Never saw hide nor hair of it again. Sorry.

Though Delphiniums supposedly don't grow here
I once saw a beautiful bed of unfamiliar flowers in Garland. I actually stopped and asked the homeowner what they were. She said they were Larkspur and that they bloomed every year with no special attention and re-seeded themselves.
The name Delphinium and Larkspur seem to be interchangeable so there is at least one of the many available varieties that grows well here. I have no idea which one, but there is hope for your forbidden love. :)

I've been growing Magic Fountains delphiniums here this spring. They are a beautiful blue and are still blooming. They are more heat tolerant than some and I have mine growing in light shade under a large crepe myrtle. We'll see if they come back or reseed... I've read that they also do well as a winter annual.

I also grow larkspur (it comes back from seed every year) and was surprised to see how different these two plants are, since (as verdant lady said) the names are used interchangeably. My larkspur quit blooming weeks ago, set seed and I've now pulled the brown stalks out.

The New Millenium Mix delphiniums from New Zealand are supposed to be very heat/humidity tolerant and you might try those.

I've always heard that delphiniums need cooler summers.

but if, like you, I had a pow'rful craving, I might try them one time, just to see...

(I once tried Himalayan Blue Poppy, a plant that grows wild in Alaska.
got one flower, & then it croaked.
but if I hadn't tried it, I'd *never* yet have seen a Himalayan Blue Poppy in person!)

Larkspur is a good substitution.

Let's not forget the Snapdragon as an additional substitute.

Check the link

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1356091}}

Those are lovely snapdragons. Mine never get anywhere near that tall. Is there a tall variety?

Verdant:

Yes, there are tall varieties. They usually aren't at the big box stores, but usually available at local nurseries.

lilacs, i want lilacs

My forbidden flower love is Tulips. Zones 3-8. I live in zone 9. I go to Chicago every year and ooh and ahh over them in May. I have some in my shopping basket at brecks.com...My "forbidden love cart". I might actually get some and see what happens...after reading Sylvia's post.

I have such a list! Lilacs, delphiniums, firespike, all that cottage garden stuff, sweet peas, hostas, peonies, dahlias.......BEARDED IRIS!! They'll grow but won't bloom or if they do you get one flower & they croak.

I'm forced to grow tropical and subtropical plants. I just have to go out and smell my gingers or look at Bird of Paradise blooms in December.
Tally HO!

Fuschias are mine. I try every year regardless, but they just die. So sad. It doesn't stop me from loving them.

Tulips are my other forbidden love. Maybe I'll plant some this winter just for the heck of it, see if I can get one good show.

I have planted delphiniums twice and lost them both times. I just could not resist. Its too hot for them, here in San Antonio. Larkspur come back every year from seeds, even in the grass I have plants. Just do not remove the old plants, so that the seeds have time to reseed themselves. I planted the new bunny bloom larkspur last year, they are so much prettier than the regular ones. Funny thing about larkspur, I plant pink, and when they come back they are purple or blue. The bunnys seemed to stay more true to color. I have very good luck with snapdragons, but the secret to planting snapdragons in Texas, is to plant them in October or November for the next spring and summer, just like bluebonnets. Barbra

I am up here in the Panhandle. I am always running across plants you guys down south are raving about, look them up and find out there is no way to grow'em up here. Hostas and maples come to mind. :(

But, its funny about that zone thing. I have loads of tulips up here. Iris just thrive. Hyacinths. While my lilacs are in a bit too much of a shady area to be completely happy, they do well and thrive up here where planted in the sun. The fragrance is devine in the spring. Dahlias do great if you can keep the snails off of them.

(You can see a few hundred pics if you have about 25 minutes to spend on the slideshow. http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/434044143HGunkV)

But, alas, the delphiniums I've tried (and LOVE the color of too) haven't ever really made the season out.

We always kind of long for that which we can't have, I suppose.

Here is a link that might be useful: Webshots garden album

Oh, and my big one that fits this post is pomegranites. I keep trying them, but I'm a zone too cold. For 3 years now I've been growing some little Russian pomegranates that are supposed to be cold hardier in pots. Just set them out in the ground this year. They'll probably freeze out too.

Peonies, clematis, azaleas, cammelias, raspberries, rhubarb, coconut palms, tree ferns,

Basically, anything that grows in a rainforest...or needs at least 60 inches of rain per year I'm drawn to like a magnet.

rcnaylor:
Your slide show is AMAZING! What is the blue flower in slide #38?
I am crazy for hydrangeas, hostas, peonies, rhododendrons, astilbes, so many more.

rcnaylor: Yes, your slide show is stunning. WOW. I love your purple clematis.

If you want pomegranites come to San Antonio. LOL. If it comes to any consolation, they make me think of hot and dry. Growing even where bermuda grass won't grow.

Thanks guys. The flowers in 38 are Blue Bachelor Button
(Corn Flower)
(Centaurea cyanus)

Its kind of hard to tell in that small a photo, but they really just looked luminant in the lighting that day.

And, I know what you mean, Pricly Pear, about Poms and heat. They love it, we just don't get enough up here for them, really. But, maybe these new ones will surprise me next year. Love that fruit.