Aquilegia (Columbine)

Aquilegia vulgaris

Aquilegias are charming, cottage-garden perennials with distinctive spurred flowers that dance on wiry stems above mounds of delicate, clover-like foliage. The native British species (A. vulgaris) produces blue, violet, or pink nodding flowers in May and June, but hybrids offer an extraordinary colour range including bicolours and doubles. They're perfect for partially shaded spots and woodland-edge planting, thriving in conditions that challenge many other perennials. Aquilegias self-seed freely and cross-pollinate enthusiastically, so seedlings around named varieties will produce unpredictable (but usually lovely) colour combinations. This genetic promiscuity is part of their charm — no two self-sown plants are quite alike. Cut back after flowering to tidy the plant and prevent excessive self-seeding if desired. They're relatively short-lived (3–4 years) but the constant supply of seedlings means the display is self-perpetuating. The main pest is aquilegia leaf miner, which creates pale trails on the leaves — remove affected foliage.

Plan where to grow Aquilegia (Columbine) using our vegetable garden planner.