Aquilegia Purple Barlow - Granny's Bonnet, Columbine
Aquilegia ‘Purple Barlow’ brings old-fashioned cottage garden charm with a decidedly dramatic twist. Its richly coloured purple flowers are packed with pointed petals, creating distinctive, almost starry blooms held gracefully above fresh green foliage.
Commonly known as Granny’s Bonnet or Columbine, Aquilegias are brilliant plants for giving borders a relaxed, established feel. ‘Purple Barlow’ works beautifully threaded between other spring and early-summer perennials, popping up amongst roses or adding height and colour towards the middle of an informal border. The slender stems give the flowers an airy quality, so even a generous planting never feels heavy.
Its finely divided foliage provides an attractive leafy mound below the flowers, while the blooms themselves can also be cut for indoor arrangements. Plant several together for a particularly lovely cottage-garden display.
Supplied in approx. 1 litre containers.
Aquilegia ‘Purple Barlow’ brings old-fashioned cottage garden charm with a decidedly dramatic twist. Its richly coloured purple flowers are packed with pointed petals, creating distinctive, almost starry blooms held gracefully above fresh green foliage.
Commonly known as Granny’s Bonnet or Columbine, Aquilegias are brilliant plants for giving borders a relaxed, established feel. ‘Purple Barlow’ works beautifully threaded between other spring and early-summer perennials, popping up amongst roses or adding height and colour towards the middle of an informal border. The slender stems give the flowers an airy quality, so even a generous planting never feels heavy.
Its finely divided foliage provides an attractive leafy mound below the flowers, while the blooms themselves can also be cut for indoor arrangements. Plant several together for a particularly lovely cottage-garden display.
Supplied in approx. 1 litre containers.
The name Aquilegia is traditionally linked to the Latin aquila, meaning eagle, a reference to the claw-like appearance of the flower’s spurs. Granny’s Bonnet is a rather cosier nickname, inspired by the resemblance of the nodding flowers to an old-fashioned bonnet. Aquilegias have been cherished in European gardens for centuries, making them true cottage-garden classics.
Grow in full sun or partial shade in fertile, moist but well-drained soil. Water regularly after planting while the roots establish, particularly during dry weather, but avoid ground that remains permanently waterlogged. Aquilegias generally need little feeding in reasonably fertile garden soil. Remove faded flower stems if you want to keep plants tidy, or leave some seed heads to mature if you would like seedlings to appear naturally around the garden. Tired or damaged foliage can be cut back after flowering to encourage a fresh flush of leaves.
Aquilegia Purple Barlow - Granny's Bonnet, Columbine