Variety show Plant profile Aquilegias

摘要

Whether you know them as columbines, granny's bonnets or aquilegias, these gorgeous flowers have been loved by generations of gardeners. The name Aquilegia is from the Latin aquila. meaning eagle. Columbine comes from the Latin columba or dove. It's strange that two such disparate birds should give their names to the same flower. In both cases the spurs of the bloom are held to resemble the arched necks of the birds, while the petals are supposed to look like their outspread wings. However they got their name, aquilegias are among the most outstanding late-spring herbaceous plants. From the moment their vivid green foliage breaks through the dank soil in March, until hibernation in November, they give great value. But however attractive the foliagemay be, most of us grow them for their floral displays. Flower colour covers the whole spectrum, and their form and shape are equally diverse. There is something in the aquilegia family for every taste and style of gardening, from cottage to castle.