
Habitat: part shade
Flowering: spring
Height: 45 cm
Width: 40 cm
Soil: any good garden soil
There are dozens of species of Aquilegia, and hundreds of hybrids. The species range from small alpines from high in the mountains to tall plants from woods or meadows, which would be at home in a herbaceous border. The ones we offer include excellent and reliable rock garden plants and others that are unusual or new in cultivation. They come from all round the Northern Hemisphere.
Aquilegia rockii bears purply-red flowers with apple green foliage.
1 litre pot £4.50
| Aquilegia canadensis bears red flowers with yellow centres. | |
| Aquilegia canadensis 'Little Lanterns' is half the size of the species. The brilliant red lantern-like flowers with yellow corollas have a nodding habit to start with, they then bend upwards to reveal their stamens. Prefers to be in full sun, though will tolerate part-shade, but must be kept moist through the summer. | |
| Aquilegia chrysantha is a fine species, with showy, long-spurred, yellow flowers. It comes from the Chihuahua Desert, but nevertheless is happy in our cooler, wetter conditions. | |
| Aquilegia coerulea is widespread in the Rocky Mountains, and was selected as the state flower for Colorado. In most forms it has blue sepals with long spurs and white petals. | |
| Aquilegia coerulea var. coerulea is a showy plant, widespread in the Rocky Mountains, and selected as the state flower for Colorado. In this form it has medium or deep blue sepals with long spurs and white petals. | |
| Aquilegia flabellata Cameo series is a name given to dwarf varieties with flower colours in combinations of pink, blue and white, ideal for a rock garden or raised bed. | |
| Aquilegia flabellata var. pumila is a reliable plant for the rock garden soon giving masses of flowers on short stems. It has blue flowers with white centres. Originally from Japan. | |
| Aquilegia flabellata var. pumila f. alba is a reliable plant for the rock garden soon giving masses of flowers on short stems. It has blue flowers with white centres. Originally from Japan. | |
| Aquilegia flabellata 'Rosea' is a reliable and easy plant for the rock garden soon giving masses of flowers on short stems, which should be rosy pink, although seed-raised plants may occasionally vary in colour. | |
| Aquilegia formosa forms fabulous firy flowers of orange outer sepals, yellow inner petals with red lobes and upright reddish orange spurs. Great accent plants for an herbaceous border. | |
| Aquilegia fragrans is a lovely species with creamy white flowers and, unusually for this genus, a fine scent. It comes from the Himalaya. | |
| Aquilegia jonesii x saximontana is a dwarf variety with white-centred blue flowers. | |
| Aquilegia pyrenaica is quite a short plant, with deep purply-blue flowers. It is related to Aquilegia alpina, but it distinctly shorter, so is more suitable for the rock garden. | |
| Aquilegia 'Red Hobbit' is a dwarf Danish selection with delightful long-spurred cream and crimson flowers with yellow stamens. Bushy and early blooming, this is a stable hybrid which comes true to colour when reseeding in the garden. | |
| Aquilegia saximontana also known as the Rocky Mountain Columbine so a true alpine aquilegia. The smooth, blue-green foliage provides a pleasant contrast with flowers which range in colour from pale blue to violet and lavender to cream and tan. Very attractive to bees and butterflies. | |
| Aquilegia scopulorum has lovely lavender-blue to violet flowers with long slender spurs and a creamy white centre. These bob about above a cushion-like mass of blue-green leaves. Ideal plant for a scree or raised alpine bed. | |
| Aquilegia vulgaris 'Mellow Yellow' produces deep, golden foliage in a pleasing rounded habit providing special interest for a mixed or herbaceous border. The flowers are white or pale blue. Although it prefers partial shade, it will tolerate full sun provided the soil is kept moist. | |
| Aquilegia vulgaris SDR5436 is a European species, with many purplish blue flowers, easily grown in sun or partial shade. This collection comes from woods, over limestone, in the eastern Alps. | |
| Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata is a form of Aquilegia caerulea, differing principally in not having long spurs on the flowers, and it is also somewhat shorter. It grows in damp places in open woodland. The flowers are usually deep pink. American. | |
| Aquilegia yabeana has long-spurred flowers of the deepest ink blue, very striking. This form comes from Japan, although the species is also found in Korea and north-east China. |