Aquilegia vulgaris Clementine White - Columbine

Aquilegia vulgaris 'Clementine White', also known as Common Columbine hybrid, is a recent variety that stands out with original flowers reminiscent of clematis, very double, white and curiously upright facing, towards the sky. It is part of a new series of compact cultivars, with good longevity and shade tolerance. They adapt particularly well to pot culture. This columbine, like the wild species, is a very hardy herbaceous perennial, flowering from spring to the end of summer. Really easy to grow in any soil, it requires no special care and easily naturalizes in rockeries and borders.

Aquilegia vulgaris 'Clementine White' belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. It is a cultivar derived from Aquilegia vulgaris (or clematiflora), native to Europe, North Africa and temperate Asia, where it grows in clearings, meadows, and deciduous forests. It is a very hardy herbaceous perennial, forming a leafy, compact and erect clump, 30 cm (12in) tall and 35 cm (14in) wide from which long flowering stems branch upwards. From May to June-July, up to 40 cm (16in) tall stems rise, topped with charming double flowers. Unlike some other columbines, they lack long horned spurs and are not inclined towards the ground, instead they open widely towards the sky, revealing a pale yellow to white throat with pale yellow stamens. Its deciduous bluish-green foliage is quite decorative, and the cut leaves at the base give a light feel.

Columbines were already cultivated in the flower beds of the Middle Ages, and cottage gardens have perpetuated the tradition. Compact and discreet, they are essential in mixed borders, where they bring lightness. The varieties of the Clementine series, more robust and very floriferous, grow very well in pots. They can also be planted in many places in the garden, taking care to leave a space of 20 cm (8in) around each plant: in the middle of a perennial bed, in a border, at the base of bushes, on the edge of a woodland, on a slope. They will be magnificent planted in groups to obtain a beautiful dense clump. Pick them just as they open for beautiful country bouquets. In cottage garden flower beds, 'Clementine White' can be associated with all kinds of perennials, such as Foxgloves, Bleeding Hearts or Peach-leaved Bellflowers.