Columbine, a spring bloomer with a unique character

June 05, 2024

We absolutely love columbines here. As children, they reminded us of fairies and to this day we find the Aquilegia vulgaris a fascinating plant. Bees and bumblebees are equally fond of it, so it's a win-win.

COLUMBINE HAS UNIQUE FLOWERS

When you come across a group of columbines in the garden, you could swear you can hear the flowers. The flowers have a unique bell shape. Because they hang their heads down, they hide their most beautiful part. So, occasionally turn such a flower around and be amazed at all the details you then see. Columbine comes in different colors and blooms from April to July.

Columbine, back from being gone

You could say that columbine is back from never really being gone. In the past, you could find them in most Flemish and Dutch gardens, but the playful plant lost its place in the stricter garden designs of recent years. Fortunately, we see many people once again succumbing to the beauty of many flowers and plants cozily together. And in such a cheerful cottage border, columbine comes perfectly into its own.

Angelo's favorite

AQUILEGIA VULGARIS ‘NORA BARLOW’

The wild columbine in purple or pink is a classic, but nowadays you can also find more special types again.In our webshop, for example, we sell seeds of the old variety 'Nora Barlow'. The flower starts at the top with cream white and ends in deep pink. It's a real bee and bumblebee attractor. The color, its shape, the 'Nora Barlow' is fantastic. We also have the blue-purple variant 'Purple Barlow' in our range. Should you sow or buy Columbine? You can sow columbine in late summer or autumn to have flowers in the following spring. The plant then easily sows itself, so once you have them in your garden, you can continue to enjoy them. Another option is, of course, to buy plants in the spring.Find a spot in the sun (half shade works too) and you're done!