Curious, complicated Columbine

One plant that I have always loved is Columbine some people call this plant Aquilegia … but it is a wonderful old-fashioned, hardy plant and in ancient writings is always called Columbine. The variety in my garden is the traditional one but there are more complex varieties available. It is easily grown from seeds and will readily self-seed and grow anywhere the wind has blown each seed. It appears to thrive in any type of soil and will even self-set in rough pea shingle. The seeds are shiny and mostly black. The wild and traditional varieties are available in white, pink, mauve, purple and deep violet blue and mixtures of all of these colours.

 

Pale Pink Columbine