Columbines (or Granny's Bonnets) have never grown well in our back garden but we discovered by accident that they do thrive in the front garden where we grow them in a border interspersed with Cornflowers and Cosmos.
Aquilegia is from the Latin for eagle because the flower base resembles an eagle's claws. The name Columbine comes from the Latin word "columba" which means dove. In the Language of Flowers the red flower symbolises Anxiety and the purple Resolution.
Its also another flower that is very popular with bees.
Not sure about the anxiety (though presumably OK if there is resolution), but lovely to know that bees like this flower. We have a clump that were planted by a previous owner. Thank you for commenting on my Birdfair post. Yes, it's lovely to meet other like-minded people and to learn from them!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the comment Caroline. The information about "The Language of Flowers" came from a book by Sheila Pickles of the same name. She explains a bit more along the lines of Ophelia carrying columbine in her arms and mentions Shakespeare would have been familiar with the language of lowers and that columbines (anxiety and resolution) were perfect for a deserted lover!
DeleteI really miss the Midlands Bird Fair - particularly the second hand book stalls! There was a moth stall at the last Fair which was really interesting as it displayed moths they had trapped the night before in the grounds of Middleton Hall.
Love these plants, they are so easy and they self seed everywhere! You have some very pretty ones. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the comment. Yes, they are lovely and so many different varieties and hybrids :)
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