How to Grow Aquilegia: Complete UK Care Guide

Aquilegia, also known as granny's bonnet or columbine, is a graceful cottage garden perennial with distinctive spurred flowers held above delicate, ferny foliage in late spring and early summer. It thrives in sun or partial shade and self-seeds so freely that, once established, it will happily fill gaps throughout a border. The main issue to watch for is aquilegia downy mildew, which can disfigure foliage in damp seasons.

Attribute	Detail
Botanical name	Aquilegia vulgaris and hybrids
Plant type	Herbaceous perennial
Height & spread	45–90cm tall, 30–45cm spread
Hardiness	RHS H6 (fully hardy)
Position	Full sun to partial shade
Soil	Moist but well-drained, most soil types
Flowering period	May to June
Difficulty	Easy

Choosing varieties

Named varieties offer more consistent colour and form than mixed self-sown seedlings, though all aquilegia hybridise readily in the garden.

Variety	Flower colour	Height	Notes
Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata 'Nora Barlow'	Pink and green pompom	75cm	Double flowers, no spurs, cottage garden classic
Aquilegia 'Winky Double Blue and White'	Blue and white	40cm	Compact, upward-facing double flowers
Aquilegia McKana Group	Mixed bright colours	80cm	Long-spurred hybrids, easy from seed
Aquilegia 'William Guiness'	Deep purple and white	70cm	Also sold as 'Magpie', striking bicolour
Aquilegia canadensis	Red and yellow	60cm	Native to North America, good for wildlife

Where and when to plant

Plant aquilegia in spring or autumn in sun or dappled shade, in soil that stays reasonably moist without becoming waterlogged. It is ideal beneath deciduous shrubs or at the front and middle of a cottage-style border. See our plants section for more perennial planting ideas.

How to plant aquilegia

1. Choose a site in sun or partial shade with reasonably moist soil.
2. Dig a hole a little larger than the root ball.
3. Loosen the roots gently if pot-bound before planting.
4. Plant at the same depth as in its original pot.
5. Backfill, firm gently and water thoroughly.
6. Space plants around 30–45cm apart to allow for spread.

Watering and feeding

Water regularly in the first season while plants establish, then only in extended dry spells once mature, as aquilegia is fairly drought tolerant once settled in. A light spring mulch of garden compost is usually all the feeding needed; overly rich soil is not required.

Cutting back and deadheading

Deadhead spent flower spikes promptly after flowering if you want to reduce self-seeding, cutting back to the base of the stem. If foliage looks tired, tatty or shows signs of downy mildew in summer, cut it back hard to encourage fresh new leaves to emerge.

Dividing and propagation

Aquilegia resents disturbance and is not easy to divide successfully, so propagation is best done from seed. Allow some seed pods to ripen and self-sow naturally, or collect seed and sow fresh in trays in summer or autumn. Remember that seedlings from named varieties may not come true due to cross-pollination.

Growing in pots

Compact varieties such as 'Winky Double Blue and White' grow well in containers of at least 25cm diameter using a peat-free, multipurpose compost. Keep compost consistently moist but not waterlogged, and top-dress with fresh compost each spring to replenish nutrients.

Common problems

Problem	Symptom	Fix
Aquilegia downy mildew	Distorted, yellowing leaves with grey fuzz beneath	Remove affected foliage promptly, avoid overhead watering, improve air flow
Aquilegia sawfly	Leaves rapidly stripped to skeletons	Check leaves regularly and remove larvae by hand
Powdery mildew	White coating on leaves in dry summers	Water at the base and cut back affected foliage
Excessive self-seeding	Seedlings appearing throughout the border	Deadhead before pods split, or hoe out unwanted seedlings

Month-by-month care calendar

Month	Task
March	Tidy old foliage; prepare planting areas
April	Plant new aquilegia; watch for emerging seedlings
May	Enjoy early flowering; watch for sawfly
June	Peak flowering; deadhead to limit self-seeding
July	Cut back tired foliage; check for downy mildew
August	Collect ripe seed if desired
September	Sow fresh seed; thin unwanted seedlings
October	Plant new divisions or seedlings
November	Clear fallen leaves from crowns
December	Little maintenance needed; plan new varieties
January	Order seed for spring sowing
February	Prepare soil ready for spring planting