Aquilegia vulgaris Clementine Dark Purple - Columbine

Aquilegia vulgaris 'Clementine Dark Purple' is another hybrid columbine from the Clementine series; this one stands out for its very dark purplish colour and upright flowers that face towards the sky. It belongs to a new series of compact and long-lasting cultivars, very on-trend and particularly suitable for pots. This very hardy perennial blooms throughout the spring and is really easy to grow in any type of soil.

Aquilegia vulgaris 'Clementine Dark Purple' belongs to the family of ranunculaceae. It is a cultivar derived from Aquilegia vulgaris (or clematiflora), native to Europe, North Africa, and temperate Asia, where it grows in deciduous forest clearings and meadows. It is a very hardy herbaceous perennial that forms a compact and upright leafy clump, 30 cm (12in) tall and 35 cm (14in) wide from which long flowering stems branch upwards. From May to June-July, charming double flowers bloom on stems up to 40 cm (16in) tall. Unlike the corollas of other columbines, they lack long horned spurs and are not facing towards the ground; they open widely towards the sky, revealing a pale yellow throat with pale yellow stamens. Its deciduous blue-green foliage is quite decorative, and the serrated basal leaves give a sense of lightness.

Horned columbines were cultivated in medieval flower beds, and the tradition was perpetuated by cottage gardens. Compact and unassuming, they are essential in mixed borders, where they bring lightness and charm. The varieties from the Clementine series are compact and very floriferous so grow very well in pots. They can also be planted in many different areas of the garden, making sure 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 woodlands, or on a slope. They will look stunning when planted in groups to create a dense clump. Pick them just as they start to open for beautiful country-style bouquets. In flower beds, in a cottage garden style, 'Clementine Dark Purple' can be combined with all kinds of perennials, such as foxgloves, bleeding hearts, or peach-leaved bellflowers.