Aquilegias

Aquilegias are enduring spring perennials, and a clear signal that the garden is on the move. As soon as the Aquilegias start flowering, I'd better be ready for action!

Blue Aquilegias in the Rose Garden

Aquilegias are generous nuisances though - they provide far too many seedlings. They hybridise themselves with the help of the bees, so it's good to bring in new strains.

Pink Aquilegias

All Colours of the Rainbow

Aquilegias come in all colours and sizes, from small blues to large dusky pinks. My latest seed sown aquilegias are clear yellow, and have a subtle fragrance.

Earlier in my gardening life I was carefully growing large whites - and collecting the seeds. Of course the next year's seedlings were not the pure colour of the parent! I notice in my mail order catalogues there are many interesting bi-coloured aquilegias - and famous named varieties like Nora Barlow - to tempt me in winter.

If you are a think-ahead gardener you'll trim the foliage right down to the ground after flowering - it will regrow quickly, forming new fresh green ferny leaves. And the seedlings can be annoyingly numerous - you'll need to make appropriate gardening decisions and stick to them. I've decided there will be Aquilegia-free areas in my flower gardens, and try hard to remove all offenders early.