Aquilegias dance like fairies in the garden from spring to early summer, each one boasting its own gorgeous colour. This delicate perennial is at its best if planted in groups. Its feathery leaves, which look much like those of a maidenhair fern, add a lovely soft texture to a flowerbed.

The flowers are borne on stems that grow above the leaves and so provide a lovely show during the flowering season. Aquilegias make good companions for other plants in a cottage garden; in a woodland garden they provide lovely colour under trees.

These plants do best in semi-shade but they will grow in a sunny spot, provided the sun is not too hot; if it is very hot, make sure you water them often. They like well-drained soil and because they originate in the northern hemisphere, they are frost-resistant and can withstand very cold winters.

Plant aquilegias in compost-rich soil and after flowering, cut back the stems – but wait until the plants have seeded themselves. You’ll be pleasantly surprised when they flower again next season, as the new flowers won’t necessarily produce the same colours as the parent plants!

Aquilegias self-seed easily, so if too many plants come up, thin them out and plant the thinnings in other spots in your garden – they transplant well.

Aquilegias come in a wide range of colours from red, yellow, lilac, purple and pink to white and cream. Some are one colour only, but many are two-toned, which makes the colour combinations of these plants even more interesting. They are readily available at most nurseries, as plants or in seed packets.

Although aquilegias are regarded as perennials, they are also grown as annuals.

Words and image: Home magazine