Aquilegia vulgaris: A Granny’s Bonnet for Your Garden
Introduction
Aquilegia vulgaris, also known as granny’s bonnet, is a beautiful and easy-to-grow perennial wildflower. It’s a popular choice for cottage gardens and informal plantings, and it’s known for its unusual flowers and attractive foliage.
Description
Aquilegia vulgaris is a hardy perennial that grows in clumps or drifts. It has attractive, rounded, scalloped-edged leaves and slender, upright stems that arch at the tops. The flowers are unusually shaped, forming a central bell-shaped cluster surrounded by flared petals, sometimes with pronounced spurs. They can be single or double, and come in a range of colors including purple, blue, pink, yellow, white, and bicolours.
Growing Conditions
Aquilegia vulgaris thrives in sun or partial shade and grows in any reasonable garden soil, excepting extremes of wet or dry. It’s drought tolerant and resistant to pests and diseases.
Planting and Care
Aquilegia vulgaris is easy to grow from seed, and it often self-seeds freely. To avoid having lots of seedlings, remove the faded flowers or green seed pods before they ripen. Once established, Aquilegia vulgaris needs virtually no care apart from cutting back the faded blooms and all the foliage in summer, which encourages a fresh neat clump of foliage to form.
Wildlife
Aquilegia vulgaris is known for attracting bees and other pollinators. It has nectar/pollen rich flowers that are a valuable food source for these beneficial insects.
Toxicity
Aquilegia vulgaris is poisonous to humans and animals. It can cause skin irritation, and ingestion can lead to gastrointestinal problems.
Varieties
There are many named varieties of Aquilegia vulgaris available, each with its own unique characteristics. Some popular varieties include:
- Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Blue Barlow’: This variety has deep blue flowers with white spurs.
- Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Crimson Star’: This variety has bright red flowers with white spurs.
- Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Nora Barlow’: This variety has soft pink flowers with white spurs.
- Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Yellow Queen’: This variety has bright yellow flowers with white spurs.
Uses
Aquilegia vulgaris is a versatile plant that can be used in a variety of garden settings. It’s a good choice for informal borders, naturalistic-style plantings, and wild gardens. It can also be grown in containers.
Conclusion
Aquilegia vulgaris is a beautiful and easy-to-grow perennial that is a valuable addition to any garden. Its unusual flowers and attractive foliage make it a standout in the garden, and it’s a favorite of bees and other pollinators. With so many varieties to choose from, there’s sure to be an Aquilegia vulgaris that’s perfect for your garden.
