IN PRAISE OF........ AQUILEGIA

IN BLOOM TODAY IN OUR GARDEN

Aquilegia are part of the Ranunculaceae family, their relatives include Hellebores, Clematis and Buttercups. It is a hardy, herbaceous evergreen perennial. Aquila is Latin for eagle, and this is how the name derives, as the spurs are said to look like a bird in flight. Other names I know of for it are Columbine and Granny's Bonnet. It was considered sacred to Venus; carrying a posy of it could arouse the affections of a loved one. Nicholas Culpeper (1616–1654) an English botanist, herbalist and physician recommended it to ease the pains of childbirth. In modern herbal medicine it is used as an astringent and diuretic.

Position: full sun or partial shade
Soil: fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Warning: Contact with the sap may cause skin irritation
Maintenance: Easy to maintain Aquilegia is a ready self-sower so be prepared to thin out some seedlings. Not all will be true to form. Prune foliage back in the early spring before new growth appears although some gardeners prefer to deadhead blossoms and prune foliage back in the fall to prevent self-seeding. Aquilegias can die off after a few years and aren't the longest lived of perennials so many gardeners allow self-seeding and keep any of the new plants whose flowers they enjoy.