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I think that's what is called... Had four and overwintered them... lost three. Any suggestions as to how I keep it alive into next year....  :-\

They are monocarpic, first year from seed they form a large rosette of foliage, the second year they shoot up over 3m then die. If yours is in its second year and has not flowered something has gone wrong.

We started some a few years ago. Big mistake. They throw off so much seed it is nearly impossible to get rid of them.  They don't like being in a pot so taking them in for the winter  just retards them.

As you are based in the frozen wastelands of the north you are wasting your time as wrapping them up seems to rot them.

Even ours down here will not do so well on the north coast of the island

Fills me with confidence Ace thanks! It certainly looks ill now I've had it fleeced agains t the very cold two weeks ago....  :)

They can do well in Cornwall, but I've tried them two years running, and lost them all both times. Don't think I'll bother again.

Here, in ACE's favorite part of the world, Birmingham - My half dozen two year olds are about 12-18 inches high, no sign of flowering, but also no sign of dying. Thats even after the frost and the covering of snow we had last week.

How do you grow them? I lost one lot in the open ground, another in pots, both at the first sign of frost. If I'm going to try again, I suppose I have to keep them under cover over winter.

When I first started I just put the seed in pots about february. planted out in place in may then let them do their own thing. I do have micro climates in the garden and the best ones grew next to an old stone wall facing south. I spend alot of time with those cheap radio thermometers finding frost free spots in the garden and then hedging/walling the area so I can try out exotics, without having to bring them in when it gets cold.

I find the echiums prefer really dry ground and will self seed in the cracks of the wall like budlia. The first year the plants should make about 4' in height and the same across. The second year they will fly away from june until autumn and reach 12- 15' high. Then they die, but not before spreading millions of seeds.

I hoe the ones I do not want and leave half a dozen to carry on. If they have not made at least  3' the first summer they usually get hit with the cold and you might just as well throw them on the compost heap so a couple of patches in different parts of the garden are needed for continuity.

I do not know the correct way of growing them as mine has been trial and error, but the seed I used to start with came from a native growing plant. Not from a seed packet.

>>>>>>>>> puts the pack of seeds in the out pile !!!!!

I have grown the Echium 'Pink Fountain' in S E Wales but about 600' above sea-level. Plants grown from bought seed. First year three survived and grew to approx 3', one was killed by frost, the second must have had the growing point damaged because about 12-20 small flower spikes were produced. The third one did nothing but I thought I would protect it and wrapped it in fleece whenever there was a danger of frost. It produced one flower spike about 12' high. Only three self sown seedlings resulted but these are now in pots in the cold GH. I have another one grown from seed which is about 3-4' high. Although it is in a more sheltered position the frost we had last week caused some of the leaves to turn black. Looks as though the fleece will be out again when we get some frost if I want it to flower next year.  I also have four 2-3" seedlings in pots in the cold GH grown from seed sown this spring. 
Initially it was a challenge to see if I could grow it and having succeeded I want to try every year because the flower spike is quite impressive.

Are they still pink or have they reverted. If they are pink I would not mind a pinch of seed next year

Exactly my reasoning Toadspawn...  ;D