Aquilegia William Guinness
Although I am featuring Aquilegia William Guinness, today’s post is also covering other Aquilegias in our garden.
Aquilegias or Columbines look outstanding, whether in the mixed border or stand alone. William Guinness has been in our back garden for years. The deep purple flowers with white centre is very eye catching and the feathery fine cut foliage sets the blooms off perfectly.
Columbines are fully hardy in the North east. I remember the first time I spotted these plants in a garden many many years ago. I thought they were something exotic, and would only grow for gardeners with much more experience than myself.
William Guinness starts to flower in late Spring and carries on blooming well into June.
Hardiness – Fully hardy
Height – 75cm
Position – Full sun/partial shade in free draining soil
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Another Aquilegia in the garden is Flabellata Ministar
This one again has the white centre, but with pale blue outer petals. Flabellata Ministar at only 30cm tall looks best in the rockery, or at the very front of the border.
Last year seen its introduction to our woodland area where it performed well and looked great, producing a good succession of blooms from late Spring well into June.
Aquilegias are often referred to as a short lived perennial, I suspect they have a longer lifespan in the cooler temperatures of Aberdeen. I find this especially so with the ones which have deep purple flowers, like William Guinness and Aquilegia Rockii which have been in the same position in the garden for about ten years.
— Mail Order Flabellata Ministar—
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This one, Aquilegia Fragrans has long been a favourite of ours. I did a post a while back, where I did sing its praises. original post Fragrans a short variety which looks good at the front of the border or in an alpine setting. The leaves are finely cut and the blooms as the name suggests are indeed fragrant. Our original plant started to deteriorate after being in the garden for a number of years. I did get a couple more and they have bloomed this year, looking a little different, below is two of the pictures showing the new plant, if you wish, take a look at how the original looked, link above.
Here is a link showing a mail order company with Fragrans looking remarkably like my original plant as I recall it.
*** Mail order ***
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Nora Barlow has taken quite some time for me to appreciate its value. I feel I had a bit of an issue with the double flowers, however, time as well as absence makes the heart grow fonder.
This one certainly isn’t short lived in our garden. The same plants have survived being lifted transplanted and even bad used for something like fifteen years and above as you see beside the garden arch she simply flourishes.
—Mail order—
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This deep purple Aquilegia found its way into our garden many years ago. It seeds its way around quite freely never making a nuisance of itself.
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Back from the dead! This bold statement relates to a couple of plants which have been in the back garden for many years. They were both seen as being rather borderline for the conditions in Aberdeen. However they did flourish for a number of years, that was before the severe Winters of 2010/11 put an end to them, or did it.
The first one which we were extremely fond of was the Abutilon x Suntense. It was outstanding, however, last year it was left for dead. Well well, in late May of this year, look what I spotted.
What a surprise, will it return to its former glory, I do hope so, I will take a few cuttings and grow them on. This is a link to my post featuring
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The other plant, Pittosporum, an evergreen shrub which I was always banging on about. Well anyway those cold Winters put an end to half a dozen of them in the garden. We had three different varieties, one of them Tom Thumb was the only one to hold on to a few leaves near the bottom of the shrub. Last Summer it made a little progress, this year in early June Tom Thumb fully recovered.
The picture above is showing the plant with its new fresh green leaves which soon change colour to a rich glossy handsome bronze shade, and this is how it remains until late May of the following year. Although it is on the tender side it generally does well enough in the city of Aberdeen which being on the coast, prevents us from getting the more severe low temperatures suffered inland.
See above how the foliage changes colour, I am so very pleased that this one has come through. Not surprisingly it received the RHS award of garden merit for outstanding excellence.
Hardiness — Semi hardy
Position — Sun/part shade
Height — 90cm/3ft
The plant has a much richer colour than the mail order company suggests, unless it is planted in a container where it does not perform so well.
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I find mid June is when the round garden looks at its very best. I do my utmost not to show the long shots of the garden too often, otherwise I may bore you to death. Recently I made a comment that I was much happier with the quality of my close up shots compared to those of the long shots. I think I have gone a little way to addressing this, well its possibly been quite clear to most of you all along, however I just became aware that if I add a picture on my blog, say a long shot of the back garden in a large format, it is automatically reduced in size to 640×480 this reduction causes the image to become blurred. So from now on all the pictures for my posts will have been reduced in size before I attach them. The exception will be the page (Our Garden) where the thumbnails when expanded will show much larger pictures to hopefully give a better impression of our garden. Well anyway I am not saying the photos on my blog are going to be perfect but the ones below of the round garden, using the method I mention, I am rather pleased with.
Myra’s houseplant Clivia blooming beautifully at the moment.
Here is the first result of my adventure with edibles, and it tasted good.
If you happen to leave a comment I will be sure to visit your site and do the same
Your circular garden is gorgeous, tiny but gorgeous (well or maybe there’s more to the garden that than bit – I can’t really see).
Your circular garden is gorgeous, tiny but gorgeous (well or maybe there’s more to the garden that than bit – I can’t really see). Great how you’ve managed to pack so many different plants into the space and still have a lovely clear lawn! 🙂
Hi Kininvie, very true I have lived in Scotland for an affa lang time. Mind you I have been known to say hen is more used in the Glasgow area, definitely not used in the North East.
Hi Jennifer, I have to confess, Flabellata Ministar wasn’t as floriferous this year.
Alistair, I never tire of long shots of your garden! I think it helps to get a better understanding of how plants work in combination to see them combined in flowerbeds.
I am a fan of columbines and you have a very nice selection. I have never seen Flabellata Ministar before. What a charmer! I must look out for that one.
Columbines are my favorites. I have some aquilegias too in my garden and they are not they are good. Your garden looks awesome 🙂
Loon & Quine are distinctly north-east Scotland and not heard anywhere else. ‘Jimmy’ is more or less confined to Glasgow & its fringes, but ‘hen’ (for a woman of almost any age) is heard right across the centre, from Glasgow to Edinburgh and beyond
Hi catmint, I am not surprised to hear that aquilegias have a job surviving in your part of the world, although I suspect they flower in Winter.
Hi Alastair, I used to have aquilegia that came back every year for years until it became very hot and dry, then they just disappeared. They are very delicate looking and interesting flowers. Your round garden looks great. The cucumbers look extremely impressive. cheers, catmint
Hi Carolyn, I was preparing a draft with Daylily featuring and what did I do, yes I pressed publish by mistake. It could only have been on for ten minutes at the most, obviously time enough for email to pick it up. My next post is for this coming Saturday. Thanks for letting me know, have a good time if you are on holiday.
Alistair, I don’t seem to be able to get to your current daylily post. I am away and having trouble generally reading blogs and commenting. Just wanted to let you know and say hi. Carolyn
Nae problem quine.
Well thank you Alistair, for clearing that all up for me. I must say that I would not have guessed ‘hen’– sounds too maternal but is close to ‘chick’ which I am used to meaning about the same.
I also prefer the singles Donna.
That is so funny Linnie. Well, I first referred to Fay as quine after she addressed me as loon. Quine as I am sure you gathered is the local term for girl. Loon is nothing to do with the feathered creature which I was introduced to via Katherine Hepburn and Henry Fonda in, On Golden Pond, neither is it (I think) making a suggestion that I am a half wit. Its the local term for a boy! Ha, ha, how kind of Fay. Oh hen is more used in the Glasgow area informing normally a young quine that she is adorable.
You have a wonderful selection of Columbines, Alistair. I do prefer the singles, the are so delicate.
Hi Laura. I just post once each fortnight now. New post due next Saturday. Do you normally get an email informing that I have added a post? If so did the last email come through to you with very large text which was unreadable. Its just that my sight not being as good as I would like has me using larger text on my blog, which looks acceptable, but I suspect it affects the emails which are being sent.
Hi Patrick, good to catch up with you again, I will add your blog link to my side bar. Wont lose track of you that way.
Hey old friend,
After a long six months, long story, it’s good to be back in your garden. The columbines are always beautiful but Suntense stole the show in the post. Absolutely gorgeous.
I promise never to be gone away so long for my soul’s sake.
Best,
Patrick
Flabergasted with Flabellata Ministar but Abutilon x Suntense outshone. You always have a good collection of plants Alistair and many less usual ones too
p.s have missed your usual Sunday post today – hope all is ok
You have some very exotic columbines Alistair. I am very tempted by the fragrant one, always a plus. And I have noted the name of that blue abutilon– reminds me of a blue poppy. Speaking of that, I see Kininvie noted your term ‘quine’ which I did wonder about and has him calling Fay by ‘hen’ which is surely questionable, but did she address you as ‘Loon’? Really I have to watch you all constantly.
Yes Lily, the Clivia is very much an indoor plant here in Aberdeen.
That is very kind Helene, Thank you.
That would be really great Cathy, thank you I could easily send some of mine on to you if you wish, usually the seedlings are always the dark colour or sports of Nora Barlow.
Alistair, your variety of aquilegias is fabulous. I have a couple of doubles and really do enjoy them – glad you finally decided you like them! The round garden is simply lovely. Wishing you a wonderful summer…. would be happy to share some seeds from a few of my aquilegias if you’d like. 😉
Yes, I think I will, thanks for the advice, and thanks for all the good advice I have picked up on your blog, I am learning a lot! Therefore, I am nominating you for the ‘One Lovely Blog Award’, your blog is so lovely and truly deserve it. Congratulation! You can find the rules here: http://graphicality-uk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/one-lovely-blog-award.html
Take care 🙂
Lovely Aquilegias. I love the shots of the blue one in the round garden.
Myra’s Clivia is stunning. The blooms and the leaves are flawless. Does Her Clivia stays indoors year round?
Congrats on your first edible.
Hi James, I think most gardeners would choose blue over any other colour.
I never seen blue looking so beautiful as in your garden.
Truly it must be so wonderful to admire and enjoy all the flowers that blooms in this season.
Truly remarkable.
Hi Helene, thanks for your take on picture size. You should give Aquilegias a try, they grow surprisingly well in shady positions.
Hi Cat, Our Pittosporum is now growing strong after almost losing it in one of the very cold Winters.
Hi Alistair – Lovely photos of all your great aqueligias, William Guiness certainly is a show off.
I have been using pittosporum in christmas wreaths for years, there is nothing else that compares to the intense purple foliage, I find it makes all the shades of winter green POP, if only it grew a little faster.
Hope you are well, Cat
Hi Alistair, lovely Aquilegias, I especially liked the William Guinness, I have never tried growing them myself, not that I have room for any more spring/summer flowering plants in my postage stamp size garden! The only place I possibly could cram in one or two plants would be in my woodland corner, but it might be a bit shady there, mind you, I saw you had one growing next to a fern, perhaps I could have some growing next to my ferns? Loved the long shots of your garden, I think you should continue including some every time – I always do, it’s certainly not boring with a garden like yours!
And as for pictures on our blogs, I always reduce all my pictures before posting as they come out better that way. I don’t reduce them completely, as I also use them on my website in a slightly larger size than on my blog, so I keep to a height and width of 650x975px or 650×867, depending on ratio of the camera. The slight reduction you then get by the blog software (Blogger in my case) doesn’t make much difference to the quality. It’s a bit of work, but what don’t we do to make our beloved plants and flowers look their best 🙂
Nothing much fries fast here Masha. Today was the first comfortably warm day for quite some time.
Ah, but did I tell you they were bite size, only about five inches long. Lovely flavour though.
Hi Alistair, even if these plants are unknown to me they are all very well appreciated. And the garden is fabulous as always, i love that small circular nook. But that cucumber certainly gets everybody’s heart. Imagine only one plant will already feed a family! OMG you will be rich raising only these cucumbers! haha!
I love columbines too, but they don’t come back reliably here, and the blooms fry fast in the heat. Yours are gorgeous. I loved the views of your round garden, and am hoping for more pictures – you are not boring me! Usually, close ups are easier to get right than whole garden shots, I think lots of people (including me) have the same issue.
The temperatures here at the moment, I wouldn’t be surprised if we still had columbines at Christmas, well maybe a little.
Its true what you say about the Aquilegias they do blend in and for that reason I am going to scatter seeds in the main border to see what happens.
Great plants Alistair, and the garden is looking fab as always!
I’m getting more and more into Aquilegias as they’re reliable, unfussy, gives early colour in the season then blends away nicely with the exotics during the summer. And so many lovely selections too!
What pretty columbines! I like the cute little blue ones! The columbines here have long since finished blooming with our heat.
Your garden is gorgeous. I love the long shots!
Think I will go and check out Ruby Port DD.
Veg growing competition not likely b-a-g, the tomato plants have grown so large I can now hardly get into the greenhouse. Myra asking for her plant to be included, doesn’t sound right does it, think I better alter that or she may clock me one.
Hi Crystal.its a pity the Clivia didn’t grow outdoors.
Columbines are amongst my favourite flowers, and would you believe, I bought William Guinness this year. That Abutilon looks gorgeous. Love the pics of your round garden too.
But the winner must be the Clivia, what a lovely specimen.
Hi Alastair – Aqueligias are great, they are the only plants that don’t get dug out from the gaps in my patio. I prefer the single varieties because they look so delicate.
Myra’s plant is fantastic – I’m surprised that she had to ask you to include it.
I didn’t realise that it was possible to get so many cucumbers out of one plant – you’ll be entering those veg growing competitions before long.
Thanks Christine, just left your plot ten seconds ago.
Oh wow, congrats on the first edible, those look highly pickable!
Your Aquilegias are gorgeous. I had two that didn;t amount to much, I think I will try them in a sunnier spot next.
Thanks Lona, Myra does treasure the Clivia.
Thanks Frances, the leaf colour of this Pittosporum is quite exceptional when at its best.
Hi Jane, hope your cucumbers survive, they really do taste better than those from the supermarket.
Hi Carolyn, that is an interesting point regarding the over breeding of Columbines. The close ups are also affected and made slightly blurry by the automatic reduction in size, its just not quite so noticeable.
Hi Kininvie, I take it you find the the north east term Quine as being common, I will ask Fay if she prefers Hen. Is there a difference between Alpina and Flabellata, I am not really sure have to ask the plant police.
Jimmy, (- if we are going to be dropping in affectionate Scottish terms of address, it’s unavoidable – Fay will be Hen from now on)I like your aquilegias. They are not plants I take much notice of, but they happily seed themselves all over the place in my garden in a whole variety of colours and I usually leave them be. However, I find they do position their seedlings right in the middle of other plants, and quickly send down tap roots, causing disruption and distress when I attempt to weed them out. This is especially true of aquilegia alpina, which gets into the wrong places in my scree bed. Can you tell me the difference between a.alpina and a.flabellata? They look very similiar – but obviously can’t be.
I think the really fancy overbred columbine are short-lived. The closer you stick to the species, the better they come back. That is very interesting about the photos and the reduction. I did not know that and always wondered why the landscape shots were blurry. I will try this next post. So I don’t need to worry about close ups but just large shots?
what can I say that hasn’t been said before… lovely to see your garden shots. Hope my first attemp at cucumbers is as successful as yours, got mildew at the moment but they;re hanging in there.
some lovely blooms Alistair, I love the deep red colour of the pittosporum no wonder Anne Swinthenbank is always recommending them, Myras flowers look lovely to and some yummy fresh food, well done all, Frances
Alistair your columbines are just gorgeous. I just love the Flabellata Ministar. Gorgeous! Myra’s Clivia is so beautiful. You have such a wonderful garden. Have a lovely weekend.
Thanks quine, I will have a look at your weather thingy, if I remember it gives better results than the one which I have added.
Thank you Donna, yes I do remember that you ordered Fragrans. A great pity it didn’t take, however I have a suspicion that it is a sport of the original plant.
Loon – you’ve captured the elegance of those bloom perfectly I love ‘Grannies bunnets’ and they’re not easy to take photos of! Well done Sir.
As to your adventures with edibles – they look fab – I’m reading a book at the moment you might enjoy but possibly don’t need looking at those cucumbers!
Clivia’s remind me of my grandmothers house – always had those instead of Amaryliss which were outlawed.
Liking the new text – the weather widget you mentioned before on my site is easily added via there helpful site…….
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/pws/components/
What a most remarkable post…one of my favorite flowers featured and I was able to see the Aquilegia Fragrans (which you might remember I was a bit enamored with after your post). I did purchase one but it did not survive. Columbines are perfect here but some as they are transplanted do not always do well with our changing conditions. Once established they freely seed and I let them…I love Myra’s plant and had not heard of it before. And look at your edibles already…the round garden is just perfect Alistair…wishing you a lovely summer in the garden.