- Botanical Name
- Winky, Barlow, ‘William Guinness’ & ‘Double Rubies’: Aquilegia vulgaris. ‘Chocolate Soldier’: A. viridiflora. Swan: A. x cultorum
- Family
- Ranunculaceae
- Plant Type
- Herbaceous perennial
- Size (HxW)
- Barlow: 50-80cm x 20-45cm. ‘Chocolate Soldier’: 20-35cm x 15-20cm. ‘Double Rubies’: 30- 70cm x 30-50cm. Swan: 50-60cm x 30-40cm. Winky: 30-50 x 30-40cm. ‘William Guinness’: 45-70cm x 30-50cm.
- Depth & Spacing
- Plant where the roots meet the stem with the roots spread evenly below the soil surface. See above for spacing.
- Soil
- A well drained, humus rich, moist soil is ideal but they are quite adaptable.
- Aspect
- Full sun to semi shade. They will need more water if in full sun. A lightly shaded to morning sun position will encourage the blooms to last longer.
- Climate
- Cool to Mediterranean
- Frost
- Hard
- Water
- Water to establish, then keep moist during active growth.
- Fertiliser
- An all purpose fertiliser in early spring and in summer.
- Flowering Time
- Spring to summer
- After Flower Care
- Remove spent flowers to tidy. Prune to the ground late autumn or allow natural senescence – they tend to disappear pretty quickly and look good moments before they disappear and return in no time.
- Notes
- Plant in a lightly shaded position for longer lasting flowers. Remove the first flowers at the base of the stem to encourage more blooms. The second round can be left on to drop seed for future generations. The seedlings may differ from the parent plant as they hybridise easily. If the foliage becomes untidy and stretched in summer, you can cut it back, add some fertiliser, then it will reshoot and remain handsome into autumn, you might even get an extra flower or two. Plants will last for many years in cool climates. In warmer climates, plants may need to be replaced every few years.