Herbaria (May 23, 2012)

This week’s Herbaria is a tribute to columbine (Aquilegia) and some of its friends. There’s a lot going on in the garden right now, but chances are good that this will be the last week that they are all blooming at the same time and I was eager to see them assembled together as a collection. Aquilegia are charming, graceful, meadow flowers that dance and sway in the breeze on long, thin stems. They are generally very profuse self-seeders, although I planted a deep wine colored double last year that broke the rule and did not reproduce or come back, period. [Shakes fist] Despite the rare exception, they are very easy plants to grow and the toughest of the bunch… More

Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris) ‘Nora Barlow’

aquilegia_norabarlow_th.jpg More

Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris)

Photo by Gayla Trail  All Rights Reserved More

Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

Photo by Gayla Trail  All Rights Reserved More

New Columbines in the Garden

This unknown red variety bloomed a few weeks ago. I bought it at a garden shop in early spring, but it did not come with an accurate tag. I almost didn’t buy it as I was saving space for ‘Black Barlow’ a variety I had been coveting for ages. But wouldn’t you know it, I finally came upon the variety in bloom a few weeks ago and it was too purple for my taste. The photos lied! A gift from my friend Barry, these white flowers have little green spots on some of the tips that make it just a little bit extra special. In addition to transplants (there are more that haven’t yet bloomed), I also grew a few… More