Barlow Double Aquilegia Collection

The collection consists of:

- x 1 Aquilegia vulgaris 'Nora Barlow': flesh pink flowers with white tips

- x 1 Aquilegia vulgaris 'Black Barlow': very dark purple, almost black

- x 1 Aquilegia vulgaris 'Blue Barlow': deep violet blue

- x 1 Aquilegia vulgaris 'White Barlow': pure white with a small yellowish-green heart

- x 1 Aquilegia vulgaris 'Rose Barlow': light pink with purple buds

The 'Barlow' aquilegias are completely hardy perennial plants and do not mind the cold. They thrive best in partial shade or non-scorching sunlight, in soil rich in compost or humus that remains slightly moist in the summer. However, they have a short lifespan, often living between two and four years, sometimes five, rarely more. They compensate for this by self-seeding abundantly, but plants grown from seeds can be very different from their parent!

Essential in mixed borders, 'Barlow' columbines add a touch of charm. They can also be planted in many different areas of the garden, taking care to leave a 20 cm space around each plant: in the middle of a perennial flower bed, in a border, at the base of bushes, on the edge of a woodland. They will look magnificent when planted in groups to create a dense clump. In flower beds, in a 'cottage garden' style, they can be paired with all kinds of perennials, such as Foxgloves, Bleeding Hearts, Peach-leaved Bellflowers... Play with colours and textures by combining them with Bugbanes (Cimicifuga) and Rodgersias, for example. You can pick them when they are just starting to open for beautiful bouquets.