Description
Aquilegia alpina (Alpine Columbine or Granny’s Bonnet) is a classic late-spring to early-summer flowering plant that provides a wonderful shot of colour once the spring bulbs are over but before the summer perennials flower. This species has its origins in the Alps and the north Italian mountains, and as a result is slightly stockier and with slightly bigger flowers than our UK native (Aquilegia vulgaris). It makes a beautiful plant with lovely fern-like foliage and a seemingly inexhaustible supply of stems with long-spurred flowers in strong shades of deep blue and purple. Once flowering is over the foliage provides a lovely foil for later flowering plants. If cut back the plant will put on mounds of fresh looking foliage to prolong the interest through the growing season.
These established, garden-ready plants have been grown at our nursery in Cornwall and are provided in 2 litre containers. They will grow to an ultimate height of about 60cm (24 inches) and a spread of around 40cm (16 inches).
Growing Advice
Aquilegias are easy plants to grow. They do best in partial shade conditions in soil that is well-drained but doesn’t dry out completely – they work well in woodland schemes and in areas that get spring sunshine before the leaves of trees and shrubs are fully out. If the foliage gets tatty in summer, it can be cut back and will send up fresh foliage through summer and into autumn. It can take a full season or so to establish a full-sized clump.
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