Got gifted some foxgloves by the birds I think! How should I look after them?

All these foxgloves suddenly appeared under a tree last year, shortly after what was growing there previously had died out. I was wondering if maybe it was from seeds in bird droppings. Anyway after I consulted some folks who know more about this than me and found out they were foxgloves, I replanted some of them further down the flowerbed to thin them out. I now have quite an abundance of foxglove flowers.
The bumble bees absolutely love them. It's a real pleasure to see them crawling in and out of the flower tubes all day.
Is there any particular care I should be giving to the foxgloves?

 

Wow, what a stunning display @Pink678, lucky you! I have several self sown foxgloves in my garden, they seem to find the places that suit them best without any intervention so I just let them do their own thing. I leave the flowers until they fade and they self seed to continue their biennial cycle. Some are perennial but not the ones in my garden. Just be aware that the flowers, leaves, stems and seeds are toxic to humans and pets if ingested.

 

Beautiful! And so upright! Yes, letting them self-seed is the key, though bear in mind, they mostly do not flower fill their second yr. So if you just have leaves in 12 mths time, don't panic!

 

Thank you @Plantminded and @ViewAhead - it was nice surprise - maybe the birds appreciate all the food I give them!
Is there any kind of watering and deadheading I should be doing while they are flowering?
There are some beautiful cats that visit my garden and I wouldn't want any risk to them, should I be concerned?

 

No need to water unless we get a hot, dry spell, @Pink678 which seems unlikely! Only deadhead if you want to avoid reseeding, it doesn't seem to encourage reflowering. I think cats are canny enough to avoid eating anything unusual but there's no guarantee that they won't.

 

I wouldn't deadhead if you want them to self-seed. Alternatively, you could collect seed yourself, but, in my experience, they pop up where they want to, not where I sow the seeds. You could start some off in pots for planting out, of course.

There are lots of plants that make pets ill if ingested, but mostly they seem to know to avoid them, so I wouldn't worry too much personally.

Oops! Simultaneous typing! Wot @Plantminded said ^^^.

 

We love to find foxgloves that have self seeded in our garden. We never know whether they will be the beautiful pure white or the traditional purple. We don't mind either way and as others have said the bees love them. We never dead head them or water them.

 

Thank you all very much! That's good to know I don't need to water unless it's hot and dry. I was wondering about self-collecting and sowing seed, but it sounds like letting them do their thing is the best way.
I'm glad I don't have to worry about the cats. They do seem to be pretty wise animals and I've never seen them take any interest in sniffing/chewing plants (except for one cat that likes a verbena plant).
@On the Levels , yes it was like a lucky dip wondering what colours they would come up as, once I had realised I had foxglove plants.

 

You are so lucky @Pink678. I planted some foxglove seeds last year, have nursed them all through the winter and planted them out, and finally the first one has flowered. And it has turned so the flower is facing the fence!

 

Dig it up and turn it round. The plant, that is, not the fence!

 

It sounds like your first one is a bit shy @Escarpment ! I hope the rest come out soon for you

 

I bought 6 foxgloves 3 years ago and I've had flowers for 3 years. Wasn't expecting them last year! I have masses this year and they've turned up in different colours. Originally they were purple. All I've done is mulch the bed and water it when very dry. I'll leave some for seed and cut down the rest. I've read that if you cut down the flowered spike they may flower again the following year. That must be what happened for them to have flowered last year, but I'd left some for seeds.

 

They are absolutely beautiful Busy-Lizzie, such large bright flowers. They look lovely next to the natural-looking fence, and maybe I think pink clematis?
So you cut down the spike as soon as it had finished flowering, and then did you leave the leafy plant as-is, or did you remove that as well and leave only the roots?

 

I just cut the spike off. If you cut the leaves off it will probably die. They keep their leaves in winter.

 

Thanks Busy-Lizzie! I might try cutting a few stalks off like that, and let some other stalks seed. I'm new to gardening so all tips are much appreciated