About us

 New Zealand Delphiniums (formerly Dowdeswell’s Delphiniums) was founded in 1982 by Terry and Janice Dowdeswell as an alternative crop for the cutflower trade in New Zealand. They started with delphinium seed imported from England but, after success in showing their hybrid bred delphiniums at New Zealand’s inaugural Ellerslie Flower show in 1995, they saw the potential for a business which could excel in producing high quality, distinctive, delphinium varieties primarily from seed, for sale around the world.

In 1997 Dowdeswell’s Delphiniums started exporting their seed to Walters Gardens in USA and Thompson & Morgan in England and in 1999, to Jelitto seeds in Germany. In 2009 their seedline, ‘Sweethearts’ was given the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society in Wisley, England and in 2008 'Dusky Maidens' was awarded the International Perennial Plant of the Year by the International Perennial Plant Breeders Association. The success of their specialist breeding has since led to New Zealand Delphiniums' hybrid delphinium seeds being exported to many different countries around the world.

In 2017 New Zealand Delphiniums was sold to Katrina and Jason Hindmarsh, who are continuing with the breeding of specialist delphinium lines.

New Zealand Delphiniums remains committed to producing the best delphiniums in the world. New Millennium delphiniums are known for being reliable performers, strong stemmed, vibrant coloured and heat tolerant.