Perennial
Aquilegia
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | Flowers in May | Flowers in June | ||||||||||
| Plant | Plant in March | Plant in April | Plant in September | Plant in October | ||||||||
| Prune | Prune in June | Prune in July | ||||||||||
| Looks good | Looks good in April | Looks good in May | Looks good in June |
Overview
Granny's bonnets have nodding, spurred flowers held above lacy, blue-green leaves in late spring. The wild species is purple-blue, but garden forms come in white, pink, plum and near-black, and the double 'Barlow' types look like tiny pompoms. Plants are short-lived, usually lasting three or four years, yet they replace themselves freely from seed. Seedlings rarely match their parents because columbines cross readily, which is half the fun.
Where to grow aquilegia
A spot in light shade under deciduous shrubs or at the edge of a woodland border suits them well, though they cope with sun if the soil stays reasonably moist. They are unfussy about soil type and do well on heavy clay as long as it does not sit waterlogged in winter.
Planting
Set out pot-grown plants in early spring or early autumn, about 30 cm apart, at the same depth as they sat in the pot. You can also scatter fresh seed straight onto bare soil in late summer; it germinates better after a cold spell.
Care through the year
Spring
Water young plants in dry spells and watch the leaves for sawfly caterpillars from April.
Summer
Cut flowered stems down once the seed pods turn brown, unless you want seedlings.
Autumn
Thin or move self-sown seedlings while the soil is still warm.
Winter
Nothing needed; plants die back to a low clump of leaves.
Pruning
After flowering, cut the whole plant back to the base. Fresh leaves soon appear and the clump looks tidier for the rest of summer.
Propagation
Collect seed from varieties you like and sow it in trays outdoors in late summer. To keep a named colour pure, grow it well away from other columbines.
Common problems
Columbine sawfly larvae can strip leaves in days; pick them off by hand. Powdery mildew appears in dry summers, so mulch to hold moisture and cut back affected growth. Aphids are best hosed off.
Guides to the problems most likely to affect aquilegia:
Something else wrong? Diagnose it by symptom.
Month-by-month reminders
Jobs for this plant come round in March, April, June, July, September and October. Each month page lists everything else worth doing in the garden at the same time.
Related plants
Sources
Botanical names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; growing attributes were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.