Aquilegias

Aquilegias are also known as Columbines, the name aquilegias is from the Latin aquila, meaning eagle.  Columbine comes from the Latin columba or dove.  In both cases the spurs of the blooms are said to resemble the arched necks of the birds, while the petals are supposed to look like their outspread wings.

Aquilegias are outstanding late spring herbaceous plants.  The first green shoots usually appear through the damp March soil and their attractive foliage often does not die down until November.  However, most of us grow aquilegias for the flowers rather than the foliage, however attractive.  Aquligias come in all colours and their forms and shapes are equally diverse.

Auqilegias are to be found all over the northern hemisphere, from the USA to the Far East.  Although they are not native to the British Isles they have naturalised themselves along the hedgerows and in the woods and are very prolific and self seeding.  These are usually hybrids of Aquilegia vulgaris, the most prevalent European columbine.  Their one common trait is the wonderful maidenhair foliage and are one of the first signs of impending summer, together with day lillies and early summer bulbs.  If you have several types of aquilegias in your garden the bees will carry the pollen from plant to plant and this results in seedlings with new forms and colours which go from simple to flounced and frilly.  The come in pure, single colours as well as bi- or tri-colours, with inner trumpets, petals and spurs of varying hue.

Some aquilegias have been around for a long time.  'Nora Barlow' is named after Charles Darwin's granddaughter.  Its flowers are a soft-rose pink, green and white and are each composed of a tight cluster of petals.  Despite the daintiness of the flowers, it makes a strong branching plant, growing to about 90cm.  There are modern varieties named 'Blue Barlow', 'Rose Barlow' and 'Black Barlow'.  Although aquilegias are often associated with the cottage garden, the look wonderful in the modern garden as well.  'William Guinness' is a lovely bi-colour; dark maroon with white tips to its trumpet.  The dramatic, dark colours probably get their beauty from A.atrata, a tall dark and handsome species from the Alps, which at its best can be nearly black.

A.alpina is another garden hybrid and is a parent of A.'Hensol Harebell', which is among the most elegant of all aquilegias.  Its wide, substantial flowers are poised on tall stems that seem to float above the foliage.  The strain was developed in Scotland in the early 20th century and while it was originally bright blue, there are now a variety of colours including dusty pink, white and deep purple.

Aquilegias like fertile ground and before planting the soil should be prepared by adding plenty of leafmould or home-made-compost.  The vigorous varieties such as Aquilegia vulgaris and most of the modern hybrids will benefit from the addition of well rotted manure, while the smaller alpine species need good drainage.  You should also take care not to overfeed the smaller woodland species such as A. canadensis.

Most aquilegias will self seed, but you can combat this by collecting the seed when the flowerheads start to rattle, but before they break open to disperse the seed.  Aquilegias can be grown from seed in pots in a cold greenhouse, in a propagator or directly outside.  You can pot them on when seedlings have developed their first true leaf and keep re-potting until the plants are robust enough to be put into their permanent positions.