Some Of This Year's Aquilegias

The summer is just around the corner and the object of my affection were the pre-june flowers Aquilegias.
It really is difficult tearing myself away from the necessary plot clean-up work to admire these lovely things. Actually it was the "tearing myself away" that was the most difficult--once I could put my trowel and bucket down and actually study these lovely things then I could hardly tear myself away from THEM... to get back to work--Hopeless I am, I know.

Aquilegias in my flower garden have free reign and where they seed themselves out to, I let them stay...for at least one season. If they are not a little special and I need the plot for something else, then out they go after blooming.

Cross-breeding and species variants are common with these flowers. Variations in colours and petals (single, single and a half and doubles(the modified petals,or 'blades')...also there is variety in the outer petals(sepals)--thin or thick.
Additionally there can be variations in the spur length and straightness.

Well, enough chatter, let me introduce you to some of the ones growing this year:
This purple and white specimen has three variations this year: thick and thin sepals and single and single and a half blades.


There are the single and a half all-pinks:


Then the pink and white bi-colour:


A single solid purple with thick sepals:


The single red and creamy yellow holds it's own in the shade. I have not been able to convince myself to take the chance to transplant it, as it is the only one of these blow-ins that I have in the garden.


One with lavender-coloured sepals:


A full double lavender and white one:


A pure white single, looking like foliage with milk dripping off it. I do not have many of these.


This specimen with pure white sepals and white blades sporting lavender veins...a real looker if you see it in real life.


The Aquilegia is an easy to grow plant that adapts to any condition in my garden. I enjoy seeing the new varieties that I get each year after the bumble bees have cross-pollinate them.

 

They are all lovely, the last one it is so delicate looking. I had good luck with them in VA but not in TN. Congrats on the picture of the month, it was a terrific photo.

 

Those are some great Columbines. They all look great especially that one with the lavender veins. I bet it really is amazing in person. That red blown-in one that you have looks like the ones that are native here.

 

Simply stunning.

Those are lovely. We never get to see those in person since around here nobody seems to grow them.
I especially love the Crimson and Ivory one - and the Lavender veins on the white one.
What am I saying - I like them all.
I can just imagine the anticipation every year to see the surprise colors and varieties due to the cross-polination.

 

Cross-pollination??? I never gave it a second thought That must be why there are so many different, beautiful columbines. That might explain the odd-ball that showed up in my flower bed Mine aren't nearly as pretty as yours Sjoerd

 

Can't pick a favorite... they are all too beautiful!

 

Gorgeous. I only have the common colours, and one almost black one. I really should get more.

 

Absolutely beautiful Sjoerd, I love them. Have had quite a few varieties pop up in my garden this spring, probably due to the cross-polination from the bees. Like you, I tend to let them self seed wherever they like, unless I need a space for something else. One has even decided to grow right in the centre of one of my hardy fuchsias but I didn't have the heart to dig it out

 

Those are beautiful - I see why you are smitten.

 

Thanks much, GAIL--I wonder why they won't do it for you there in TN?
I liked that last one too--it was the first year that I have seen it.

Thank you FF22--I have seen some red and yellow ones along the roadside when I lived in Alaska...but their colours were much richer than this one of mine. The blooms were also smaller than this big thing that i posted.

Hello PALMPIE-- Nice to hear from you. Very nice indeed.
I am so glad that you liked these fotos. I like them all too.
Hope to hear from you more real soon.

Ahhh STRATSMOM-- That was a nice thing to say. Thank you.

Thank you CHERYL-- It was kind of you to say that.

Thank you EJ--I hope you do manage to get hold of more. They are such a nice decoration.

Thank you GG-- That is an inconvinent place for that Aquilegia of yours to set up housekeeping. I take my hat off to you for having the willpower to let it stay in the Fuchia clump.

Thanks 4G-- Yes, a pretty bloom always plucks my heart strings.

 

Gorgeous!!

 

They're all lovely. I've got too many but haven't got the heart to dig them up either. I have managet to thin out where there are many of the same colour, but it's rather hard to do.

 

Very beautiful Sjoerd. Mine also are in full bloom and i do let mine here just do as they please. Mainly i don't know where to begin to pull them up,,,,lol. They are all just to pretty.

I do love all the colors you have there, and the double blooms are so beautiful. Thank you Sjoerd!!

 

Thanks NETTY--

Tanks DROOPY-- Yes, they say that digging up is hard to do, but now you know, you know that it's tru-u-u-e....

Thank you so much, BIITA--Yes, they are lovely little flowers that rteally do brighten-up the garden which doesný have a whole lot of fdlowers at the moment.

Thanks EILEEN--Thanks for the compliment on the varieties. I shall tell them the next time I go to the lottie.