The Pacific Giants are bad because the strain is no longer hand-pollinated, as it was in the days when its originator, Frank Reinelt, was still alive. But even in their heyday, the Pacific Giants were not long-lived because they had annual species in their genetic makeup. The most robust plants I’ve encountered come from Dowdeswell’s Delphiniums in New Zealand (http://www.delphinium.co.nz/). You can order seed directly from them; I have done so myself and had excellent results. I’ve also noticed that a few North American wholesalers are now supplying Dowdeswell plants to nurseries and garden centers. Look for the “Royal Aspiration” strain.

Alas, I think it’s safest to stake all tall hybrid delphiniums. If you don’t, you’re bound to get a violent wind or thunderstorm just as the spikes are reaching perfection.

However, I have some questions that arose out of reading the sublime text:-
Do all of the tulips included in the book perform as perennials, or should one expect the usual 3 years of bloom before they are spent?

Regarding Delphiniums, are Pacific Giants worthless because they are short lived and need staking or are all Delphiniums short lived and require support? You recommend robust seed strains instead. Are there no commercially grown robust Delphiniums available anywhere in North America?