The memory garden features two strains of Lupinus polyphyllus, the Russell strain started from seed in 2018 and one called Tutti Frutti started in 2019 that is blooming this year for the first time. We are lucky to be in the Pacific Northwest where lupins really shine. The plants are beautiful from the time they leaf out (who can ignore the beauty of raindrops on lupin leaves?) in spring through their flowering period. It is after the flowers fade that lupins become a challenge because their subsequent deterioration is very public and horrifically dramatic. They get powdery mildew and the leaves wither away but hang on just enough to make every lupin grower feel guilty and incompetent. I do my best to clip them down as soon as I think it is safe to do so and not harm the plants. Another approach is to trim them a bit and grow plants nearby that can overgrow the failing lupins. The seed pods are attractive and it would be great to enjoy them longer, but they get mired in the mess that is the rest of the plant and I usually give them the chop.
It seems unfair to think about their summer weakness when their spring glory is…glorious.
Lupine May 2019 
Another aspect of these flowers is the scent. The purple one above has a spicy fragrance. Others are more sweet, or honey-like.
My 2020 plans for these plants are to feed and water them as needed to keep them growing well. I am growing some native Lupinus bicolor that I will plant around the native plant garden and potentially the memory garden, as well, to help supplement the hybrids. Bees absolutely love these flowers. See the video below: