Aquilegia vulgaris

Aquilegia vulgaris is the Latin name for the Common Columbine, a perennial as robust as it is charming and well-known. This plant blooms abundantly in late spring and early summer, on sturdy upright flower stems, adorned with recognizable spurred flowers. Most often blue-violet, they can sometimes be white or even pink, depending on the plants. Columbine thrives without any particular care, in any loose and not too dry soil. It readily self-seeds and naturalises in the garden.

Aquilegia vulgaris belongs to the buttercup family. It is native to Europe, North Africa, and temperate Asia, where it grows in clearings, meadows, and forest clearings in deciduous woods. It is a very hardy herbaceous perennial. The plant forms an upright foliage clump, 40 cm (16in) tall and 35 cm (14in) wide, from which rise long fuzzy flower stems up to 75-80 cm (30-32in) from the ground. Flowering occurs from May to July, depending on the climate. Charming downward-facing flowers, borne on peduncles, bloom on the flower stems. Each one is composed of petal-like sepals and cone-shaped petals with a backward-curving spur. Yellow stamens dominate the centre of the flower. The most common colour among garden columbines is a fairly deep but bright blue-lilac. This flowering is highly visited by butterflies and pollinating insects. The basal foliage of the garden columbine is deciduous to semi-evergreen, more or less disappearing in winter. It is composed of three fuzzy leaflets, a slightly glaucous green, and is decorative due to its light appearance.

Columbines were already cultivated in the flower beds of the Middle Ages, and the tradition was continued in the cottage gardens. Compact and discreet, they are essential in borders, where they bring lightness and fun. They can be planted in many places in the garden, taking care to leave a 20 cm (8in) space around each plant: in the middle of a perennial bed, near roses, in a border, at the base of bushes, on the edge of woodland, on a slope. They will be magnificent when planted in groups to create a dense clump. Don't hesitate to pick them just as they open for beautiful country-style bouquets. In flower beds, in a 'cottage garden' style, you can associate garden columbines with all kinds of perennials such as Foxgloves, Chinese Peonies, Bleeding Hearts, or Bellflowers.