Granny's Bonnet

Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata Rose Barlow

• Position: full sun or partial shade
• Soil: fertile, moist, well-drained soil
• Rate of growth: average to fast-growing
• Flowering period: May to June
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  A popular cultivar among garden designers, this lovely grannys bonnet has beautiful, fully double, spur-less soft pink flowers in late spring above fern-like green leaves. It looks gorgeous in the middle of a sunny border among blue and pink flowers and is equally at home planted with cottage garden flowers or among grasses. It thrives best in soil that retains moisture over the summer. It is quite short-lived, but self-seeds freely, though rarely to nuisance level.
  
  
• Garden care: Lift and divide large clumps in early spring and apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted manure or garden compost around the plant. Divided specimens may take some time to establish since they dont like having their roots disturbed. Deadhead to prolong flowering. Contact with the sap may cause skin irritation.