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The Charm of Columbines

© Susan Ward

Any garden can benefit from the addition of some spring-blooming perennials. Hosts of golden daffodils can be pretty boring if that's all that's blooming out there. Don't get me wrong; I love daffodils (and tulips, and crocuses). But spring quickens my thirst for adventure. I want my garden to surprise as well as delight me; I crave a variety of textures, shapes and colors after the bleak sameness of winter.

Heirloom perennials provide this variety, as well as being hardy and reliable. Like heirloom annuals, these are open-pollinated plants that come true from seed and have been treasured by gardeners for generations. Often overlooked, these plants can add a special charm and grace to flowerbeds, and give us the satisfaction of playing a small role in encouraging biodiversity. The Columbine is just one heirloom perennial that will add a special dimension to your spring garden. They bloom in late spring and/or early summer and grow in both sun or part shade. You can find details of Columbine care at The Garden Helper.

Aquilegia vulgaris

A long-time favorite of cottage gardeners, many varieties of Aquilegia vulgaris were available by the time of the Victorians. This year I'm planning to try Aquilegia v. 'Ruby Port', which has, as you would suspect, dark ruby double flowers with short spurs and burgundy-tinged stems. Dating back to 1600, this is a rare variety which like all columbines, attracts hummingbirds. It grows two and a half feet tall and needs well-drained soil. 'Ruby Port' can be purchased as a potted plant from the The Cottage Gardener, an heirloom plant nursery in Ontario. The University of Alberta's Devonian Botanic Garden is another great source for herbaceous perennial seed; their 2001 FOG (Friends of the Garden) Seed List will be coming out in mid-February.

A. vulgaris 'Granny's Bonnet' is also on my must-have list, because of its color; its flowers are described as a captivating combination of violet outer petals and pink inner petals. I haven't found a seed or plant source for this one yet, so if you know of one, please let me know!

If you love the darker shades, Seeds of Victoria offers A. vulgaris 'Almost Black', which grows three feet tall and bears purple-black blooms in late spring.

Aquilegia canadensis

I also want to try some Wild Columbine in my garden this year; Aquilegia canadensis, (yes; the Canadian Columbine), is described as "a graceful plant with red-spurred drooping bell-like flowers with yellow centers from spring through early summer" (Randi V. Wilfert Eckel). As if this isn't attraction enough, Eckel says that the foliage of A. canadensis changes from green to maroon over the course of the season. This one to two foot tall plant is also easy to grow, attracts hummingbirds, and self-seeds regularly, as so many of the columbines do. Need more convincing? See Kev'n Ward's excellent article,