Aquilegias have a wide range of shape and colour. The one I like best is "Nora Barlow" because of her rather special looks. This is Mrs. Barlow herself. She's a late riser and didn't really want to be photographed so early: Nora Barlow ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden ) These are her daughters. This one was the first to show up. I call her "Anne Lise" after my gardening heroine: Barlow-cross ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden ) And this one showed up a year later. I call her "Kari" after a very good gardening friend: Barlow-cross ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden ) These two showed up a year or two after the others. They haven't introduced themselves so I don't quite know what to call them. Barlow-cross ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden ) Barlow cross ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden ) Some of the cousins growing here and there around the garden: ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden ) This Aquilegia has boring blooms but the variegated foliage is very attractive: Aquilegia variegated foliage ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden ) Here are a few other blooms from our garden: Lamprocapnos spectabilis white ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden ) Sedum ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden ) I am beginning to wonder if I have a garden helper I don't know about. We've had the Polemonium for years, but a couple of years ago it grew in a totally different location. I guess the old plant died and this is a seedling that has grown quietly among the paeonies: Polemonium caeruleum ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden ) Phlox X procumbens "Variegata" ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden ) The girls wanted a Dahlia: Dahlia ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden ) This is our heirloom peony, resqued from my husband's grandmother's overgrown garden: Granny-peony ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden ) I hope you liked meeting the Barlows et al.
Hello there Flower-girl, My goodness you do have quite a show there with all the Aquilegias and the rest. It is so good to see the ones that you have, as mine are just finishing. Their season never lasts quite long enough for me. That Polemonium looks very interesting to me. I wonder if they would grow down here...I shall look that one up. The paeony en dahlia are such lovely flowers to see. Your flowers are coming right along, aren't they? Speaking of Aquelegias: were yours taller than usual? Ours were about a quarter taller than usual...most of my flowering garden plants actually.
The Barlow family can move in here any time they like. What beauties!! I have planted some pure white ones this year (from seed) and they're doing really well. I love your blue one and your white Bleeding heart. So much colour in your garden Droopy compared to mine which has been constantly drowned with all the rain we've had.
Droop--This was a great posting. I particularly liked seeing the hybridizing of the aqueligia seeds from one summer to the next. I think I am going to get me some Nora Barlow seeds....!!
OH MY, Droopy, These girls look nothing like the Mrs. Barlow I know. She is our neighbor and teaches advanced high school math... Yours are very pretty, though.
I've always liked 'Nora Barlow' but for some reason I haven't any in my garden. Think I'll be looking for her now that I have a new shade garden. I like all her sisters too I had no idea there was a variegated creeping Phlox-I'll be looking for that one too! Lovely blooms you have there Droopy
Thank you Sjoerd. Ours are of normal height as far as I can tell. I'm certain you can grow Polemonium, they're pretty hardy. eileen, so sorry for your flowers. We've actually had a couple of dry (!) weeks now, with the occasional rainy day in between, and we're truly enjoying it. We're not exactly spoilt when it comes to dry weather. We've got a pure white Aquilegia too. I like the way it shines at dusk. Thanks, CM. The Aquilegia cross-breed freely and I usually leave the seedlings to see if I want to keep them. Every once in a while I buy new Aquilegias since the constant cross-breading make drab colours in the end. Thank you ck. Netty, I recommend her, just because she's so different. I know there are "blue Barlow"-seeds for sale. It looks a bit more like the original than mine. The Phlox was bought a couple of years ago. It grows well. I'm always a bit wary of the variegated varieties, since in my experience they're often less hardy than the green ones.
Hi Droopy, what a lovely range of Aquilegia you have shown,..now that Aquilegia,'Nora Barlow',..is one that you identified for me as it appeared in my garden this year for the first time,..yes it is a 'Nora Barlow'. I can clearly see the 'Nora Barlow' strain in those that are a 'Barlow-Cross' they have a very distinct petal shape. Very nice Lamprocapnos spectabilis white ,..that would stand out well in any garden,..stunning Dahlia and Peony,..full bloom.
Those are gorgeous. I envy your cool moist climate during this part of the growing season, you can grow so many things in June through Sept that are so pretty. They won't grow down here, we don't have the cool temps and can't keep the soil moist. But there are two kinds that will and I want to find them next year.
Nice to meet the Barlow family. Yours is much more attractive than mine I think we need to have a contest: Who has the ugliest columbine??? I'm pretty sure I would win. I come up with some of the strangest flowers :-? These are not ones that I have planted, I think the birds drop them for me. A few of my old fashioned reds (thank you PianoLady) were quite tall this year! Makes them look even more delicate and showy
I get volunteer plants in many parts of the garden as seeds get dispersed by the wind or are dropped by birds, some new surprises too. I often wonder when weeding if a strange plant is a new flower or not. Some weeds get a free ride for awhile. Great Barlow family portrait! Jerry
Thanks, Philip. The white bleeding heart is less hardy than the ordinary pink one, and we nearly lost it the winter before last, but it's coming along nicely now. Thank you toni. I know how you feel since I envy you your warmth from September to May. There's no pleasing us, is there? Good luck with finding your Aquilegia. stratsmom, is there such a thing as an ugly columbine? I've yet to see one I didn't like. Thanks for thinking mine are nice. Thanks Jerry. We also have the occasional blow-in plant but not many, and none have been worth keeping yet.
I saw a beautiful yellow one in my flower bed this spring until something ate all the foliage off of it, so I pulled the whole thing as I was weeding the bed. Yous, Droopy, Are much nicer than any of mine have ever been.
So, beautiful! You set a standard, I'm going to have to stop using my iPod camera and break out the tripod LOL -a very enjoyable show!
