Against the Odds: Aquilegia


Aquilegias are notorious for sowing themselves about with gay abandon, so you might be surprised at my including them in my Against the Odds series. However, this one is growing in one of our sets of steps. It's in the tiniest of cracks and I didn't have the heart to pull it out when it started growing there last year. I haven't the foggiest on how it's found enough soil for anchorage and nutrients for growth.

The aquilegias I did plant in the garden nearby are 'McKana Hybrid's, a purple form, plus a yellow tipped with red. So this one is demonstrating the usual not coming true from seed and its flowers are a fair bit smaller than its parent(s). I rather like this blue with white-tipped flower - it's much nicer than the usual muddy purple or pinks found with the next generation of flowers.

I hadn't noticed until now that aquilegias have 2 types of leaves. Walking past an isolated plant every day makes this gardener for one pay much more attention to form as well as flower.

Update 16th June: Spot the parent? ;)



Comments

  1. Jo@awholeplotoflove28 May 2013 at 11:17

    My tray of Aquliega seedlings blew across the garden in the wind last week. I hadn't noticed until a few days later & found one unscathed seedling had survived.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP29 May 2013 at 09:30

      I hope you planted it - it sounds like it'd be a tough survivor!

      Delete
  2. Pauline28 May 2013 at 12:40

    Lovely little flower with a white edge, very pretty. Its amazing how some plants survive on nothing, my original Erigeron died, but its seed is surviving years later between the paving cracks, very determined!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP29 May 2013 at 09:31

      Thanks Pauline. I've sown some Erigeron in the hope it'll flower all over the central steps. I saw a photo of Great Dixter like that and also wandering the streets of Portland (Dorset not USA), every house had some outside their front door. As you say, very determined!

      Delete
  3. Lea28 May 2013 at 13:22

    Beautiful!
    Lea
    Lea's Menagerie

    ReplyDelete
  4. Donna@Gardens Eye View28 May 2013 at 14:00

    Mine seem to sow in the most unusual places and even in the middle of other plants...it is always a delight to see where they show themselves every year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP29 May 2013 at 09:32

      Mine haven't wandered very far so far, but now they've escaped, who knows... ???

      Delete
  5. Hoehoegrow28 May 2013 at 14:20

    I do admire life's survivors ! I never have the heart to uproot them no matter where they grow ! Unlike Alchemilla Mollis which is determined to colonise the gravel at any cost ...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP29 May 2013 at 09:33

      Welcome and hello Jane! Now, Alchemilla mollis is lined up for another episode in this blog series...

      Delete
  6. petoskystone28 May 2013 at 18:14

    Determined little creature!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Crafty Gardener28 May 2013 at 20:28

    Sometimes those volunteer plants are the hardiest of all and if uprooted and transplanted they don't do so well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP29 May 2013 at 09:34

      That's worth remembering CG - I haven't decided whether to move it into a more wanted area, or experiment with some collected seeds, or both...

      Delete
  8. CJ28 May 2013 at 21:08

    I usually find aquilegias down behind a low brick wall I have where even the weeds struggle. They pop their heads up over the top of the wall and I'm always happy to see them as I don't really have any space dedicated to flowers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP29 May 2013 at 09:35

      That sounds like a good result CJ! I think Aquilegias are a good value plant as their foliage is interesting as well as the flower.

      Delete
  9. MissingHenryMitchell29 May 2013 at 01:22

    Your aquilegias are lovely. I am relying on mine in the short term as groundcover/weed blocker until I can get more plants into a particular bed. I do love that they can grow in the oddest nooks and crannies.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP29 May 2013 at 09:36

      I have them as a groundcover/weed blocker on the allotment too - such a good way of using this plant :)

      Delete
  10. Rock rose 17 June 2013 at 12:15

    Such a pretty color. I have columbines all over my garden, often at the edge of the paths where they impede passage or growing out of holes in rocks. Still I love them and it's always fun when a new color shows up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP18 June 2013 at 08:43

      They're really tough aren't they? I have a white form growing on my allotment which I really must see if I can get it coming true from seed.

      Delete

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