Just about all of our columbines are now in bloom! This is the ninth of the ten varieties I've grown over the past few year (will post the tenth one soon), and each are so unique in their own ways. This one has the drooping head but the wonderful height of the "Remembrance" that I posted last month, and I gotta say, the taller the better when it comes to columbines, at least for me. They are so awesome to have filling up our 'Fruit Forest' and are really adding some much needed color as our fruit trees are past the blossoming chapter and now are hard at work on, well, fruiting! Plus they can deal with part sun environments which is why they are especially awesome as understory plants, a huge part of my focus this year on developing our backyard garden here in the Valley. I have big plans for what will be added alongside them (hello, tulips and alliums...!)And as the hummingbirds discover our garden, the timing couldn't be better for these to bloom like crazy...
PS - History Lesson: Ruby Port is actually an heirloom variety dating back over 400 years!
I have a new favorite of these babies every week and this is it. Love how the botanical name aquilega comes from the Latin “Aquila” meaning eagle, as the flowers hooks look like eagles talons!