Friday, May 2, 2014

Columbine for a Shady Corner

         In the shade of maple trees and the pond several species of Columbine are growing in my garden. Firstly I planted some Columbines in sunny spot and then  transplanted some of them into a shady place. Aquilegia does not demand special growing conditions though it is better to plant it in wet soils. 

 

In my Northern garden it starts blooming in late May and here Aquilegia is called 'a dove'. When do your Columbines usually start blooming? In wild young Columbine blooms in the second year and because of cross-pollination they easily form new species. 


In summer I often see new colors of Aquilegia flowers. Therefore I try to prevent their self-sowing. If I want to propagate them I pick up seeds when boxes are formed. What do you do with Columbine when its flowers fade? I prune flower stems and leave the ornamental leaves, I love their shape.

 

I tried to propagate by dividing the Aquilegia roots, but they were fragile and my experience was not successful. Did you know how to divide Columbine? I loved to dry Columbine flowers: they may be used for floral displays. The flowers to easily be dried in a cool place (I hang them in a terrace) and later they well retain their dry form and color.


65 comments:

  1. Hi Nadezda, I love your columbine collection. I'm glad you said that about dividing them. I won't try it. I have only a few varieties. I like 'Woodside Strain' with the chartreuse foliage. I also have a few of the 'Clementine' series. I love the shape of the blossoms. I REALLY like the color of the flower in your last photo above. So pretty.

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    1. I'm glad you liked these columbine, they are unusual:purple with white edges.
      Thank you Grace!

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  2. My dearest Nazezda ,so wonderful your blooming flowers . I love to see your post ,the colors are beautiful . I guess that your garden is a paradise . Have a nice month !

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    1. Thank you Olimpia! My garden needs a lot of work now before it seems paradise.

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  3. Nadezda, you have a wonderful garden and beautiful flowers. I am delighted with these amazing flowers !
    Greetings :)

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  4. Hi Nadezda! The Columbines are starting to bloom here in our shaded garden as well but they are not at all as exquisite as the ones I see here in your garden. I never bought Columbines, the ones in our garden are all from seed I collected once, probably all wild Columbines that don't have the bright colours I see here on your blog but I love them nevertheless. Maybe I should look out for some more colourful species of Columbines to buy sometime.
    Thanks for sharing these beautiful flowers!
    Marian

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  5. Columbines are such lovely flowers and you have many that are especially nice! Our columbines are blooming now. I usually let the seeds fall where they will and am surprised by what new ones pop up and bloom. I cut the stems and seed heads off once they're finished and enjoy the foliage.

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    1. I love their foliage as well Peter. I want to collect seeds and to sow them before winter comes.
      Thank you!

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  6. They are very pretty. I grew some from seed several years ago, but I don't have any in our current garden. Perhaps I should grow some more.

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    1. I love to grow them especially near water, my pond. And they are flowering when the roses are still in buds.
      Thank you Tracey!

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  7. I love your Columbines, they are pretty. I don't usually grow them though, so I can't be of much help. Have a great weekend Nadezda.

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  8. I used to have aquilegias growing wild in my garden, and loved their pastel shades. But now I no longer have a big shady garden. So it's nice to visit yours, thank you.

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    1. Their shades are very different because of cross-pollination, I see this every spring when columbine start to bloom.
      Thank you Juliet!

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  9. Ours started to flower about a week ago and I just leave the flowers alone and let them self seed - any popping up where they are not wanted are easily removed.

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    1. You're right Sue. I remove some sprouts and re-plant them in other place. Thank you!

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  10. Those are beautiful Nadezda. I don't believe that we have any Columbines here in Kentucky. Or at least I have never seen them. Looks like everything is blooming for you :)

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  11. Such beautiful flowers!Your garden is like heaven Nadezda!I like the names as Colombine!Great macro shots!
    Wish you a lovely weekend and a happy May!
    Dimi...

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  12. Nadezda you have a lovely variety of columbines. Actually I love columbines in the garden and they are flowering here right at this moment, but.........there are rabbits in my garden and they love eating the flowerheads......

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    1. What nasty rabbits! Can imagine how nice would be your garden, Janneke!

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  13. Beautiful flowers and photos! Thanks for sharing! Wishing you a lovely weekend! :)

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  14. Son todas preciosas La tres y la seis me gustan más;)
    Buen fin de semana.
    Un beso.

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    1. Tu seleccionaste las mas bonitas, Laura. Gracias!

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  15. Wow, these are amazing pictures of some amazing flowers! :)
    Thank you so much for your sweet comment on my blog!
    Have a wonderful weekend :)

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    1. Thank you for stopping by Beate.
      Have a nice weekend!

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  16. What a lovely assortment of columbines! I didn't have a single columbine in my garden until a couple of years ago, and now I love them. I have only two different colors, and they're separated from each other, so I haven't had to worry about cross-pollination. In fact, I wish they would scatter more! I've never tried any propagation method other than seeds, which isn't always successful.

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    1. It's true, the seminal method does not guarantee you have seedlings. I need to sow them because their propagation is difficult.
      Thank you Rose!

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  17. Hi Nadezda
    Lovely columbines! Gives me great hope for things to come. Mine will not appear till late May, in about a month.

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    1. Astrid, I hope they will sprout, they are very hardy.
      Thank you!

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  18. I love eagles. This is a very beautiful and interesting flowers.
    Nadezda, I thought offended at me.
    Thank you for your comment.
    I send greetings.
    Lucia

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  19. Soooo beautiful, Nadezda. I love your aquilegias! Happy weekend!

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    1. Thank you Satu, am waiting for your post about Keukenhof!

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  20. I had several yellow and creamy white columbines for a couple years, but they all reverted to purple! Now all of the columbines in my garden are a single purple variety. Nice, and very pretty, but I am surprised that they all decided to be purple. I do have one cultivar called 'Black Barlow' that comes true form seed, and has stayed a deep rich black color with yellow centers. Columbines are such pretty flowers and like you, I like the foliage.

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    1. Yes, Laurrie, columbines often get cross pollination. I collect seeds or buy them to have different species. Thank you!

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  21. I have never seen an all-white columbine before, it is lovely. I grow only A. canadensis, the native columbine of eastern North America. It usually blooms in mid- to late-May.

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    1. Thank you Jason, glad you are at home and getting better!

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  22. These flowers are very dainty and the colours so varied. They grow quite well here in Melbourne, but I have not grown them.
    Hope you are enjoying some nice Spring weather with sunshine Nadezda.
    Betty

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    1. The spring time is a bit cool, only 5-8 C but sunny! I have some plants in my green house and am not able to plant them in soil because of cold.
      Have a nice autumn day Betty!

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  23. Lovely photos of your gorgeous Aquilegias.I love Aquilegias and grow a few different ones each year. I do let them seed because you never know what you will get after the bees have been busy.

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    1. Oh, yes I never know what color of Columbine flower will see next year!
      Thank you for stopping by chloris!

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  24. Oh Nadezda!
    I'm so happy with your answer.
    I am genuinely be lucky.
    Thank you very much.
    The matter clarified.
    I send greetings.
    Lucia

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  25. I love aquilegias, they are also known here as Granny's Bonnets. They flower in November in my garden! I have grown a few varieties from seed which has been the most successful for me although it takes them a couple of years to flower. In my experience they don't like to be transplanted. I'm always looking to increase my collection... there are so many pretty ones available :)

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    1. I sowed aquilegia seeds a year ago. In autumn I planted small columbines and they wintered well. This year I hope to see them in bloom. I agree, there are many pretty varieties. Thank you Ruth!

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  26. Thanks Nadezda for your sweet comment! Sadly the cherry blossom trees don`t give any fruits! And when in full bloom, they only last 2 to 3 weeks! The pretty flowers have all gone now! I was so lucky to have capture those pretty photos just in time! I truly enjoy seeing your photos and getting to know more about Aquilegia flowers! Thanks for the great info.! :)
    Hugs, Debbie

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  27. I haven’t got any columbines in my garden, and every spring when I see them on other people’s blogs I think to myself that I MUST get some. I really must get some this autumn, your photos are lovely. Loved the pink and pure white ones, they would go well together.

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    1. I think columbine will winter, grow and flower very well in your climate and your garden, Helene.
      Thank you!

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  28. Buenas tardes amiga Me alegra mucho que te guste la última foto. Es una urbanización nueva al final de Béjar, en el campo. Vivimos ahí en los bloques de la derecha hace 14años. Un lugar tranquilo y sin ruidos que ahora está como has visto y donde los niños están jugando todo el día en la calle. Gracias por tus visitas y comentarios ;)
    Que tengas buen jueves.
    Un beso

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    1. Tu vives en un lugar muy bello, puedes ver montanas cada dia, Laura. Gracias!

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  29. I love columbine, too. But the ones in my garden grow in slightly dry, well drained soil. I've never divided them. I just let them self sow and transplant the seedlings in the fall. Yours are beautiful! :o)

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    1. I do the same way with columbines, Tammy. Thank you!

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  30. Lovely Aquilegias Nadezda ! I love the way they self seed around the garden, so that they give you some lovely surprises every year ! Ours, like yours, are just at their best!

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    1. I'm glad you liked columbine, Jane.Thank you!

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  31. You have some very unusual columbine Nadezda! I love columbine so much in spring. Unfortunately I have trouble growing it here - the rabbits love to eat it more than anything else and they destroy it! It does not look so good with a cage around it. You are lucky to be able to grow it so well in St. Petersburg!

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    1. Fortunately we have no rabbits here and my columbines grow well. But we have many snails that eat all they feel.
      Thank you Rebecca!

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