Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Woodside Gold’
(a-kwi-LEE-jah  vul-GAR-is)
syn. Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Woodside Golden’; Aquilegia vulgaris Woodside Strain

Family: Ranunculaceae

Common name: columbine; granny’s bonnet; European crowfoot
Zone: 3 – 8 
Height: 2 – 3 ft (60 – 90 cm)
Spread: 1 – 1.5 ft (30 – 45 cm)
Aspect: sun; partial shade
Soil: average; humus-rich
Water: moderate

Description: An herbaceous, small clump-forming perennial with thin, branching stems adorned with golden scalloped leaves. Somewhat upward-facing, short-spurred, soft pink flowers appear in early April through into late May or early June. Attracts bees and hummingbirds.

Special Notes: Native to Europe, Aquilegia vulgaris has been grown in gardens for centuries. Over the years, the plant has escaped its garden boundaries and become naturalized, both in its native region and in North America.

Given optimum growing conditions and regular water, the plant will develop a lovely clump. It readily self-seeds which ensures this purported short-lived perennial will enjoy many years in the garden. Easy care.

Drought tolerant once established. Attracts bees and hummingbirds. Deer and rabbit resistant, however slugs and aphids may be a problem. Leaves are susceptible to leaf miner.

In our Zone 7a garden: I have a clump of ‘Woodside Gold’ in my island bed where it is mostly in shade and competes with big tree roots. The leaves hold their gold colour quite well, only slightly darkening to a green-gold colour as the season progresses. Being in the shade, the flowers on mine are a lovely soft pink colour.

John has a clump in his back garden where it gets a fair amount of sun throughout the day. The leaves on this clump turn a green-gold colour quicker than those in my garden and the flowers are more of a dusky-rose colour. We both cut the leaves down to the ground as they get ratty-looking later in the season.

Posted on February 13, 2023; updated on August 6, 2024

Anthriscus sylvestris ‘Ravenswing’
syn. Anthriscus ‘Ravenswing’
(an-THRIS-kus  sil-VES-tris)

Family: Apiaceae

Common name: cow parsley, wild parsley, gypsy lace, Queen Anne’s lace, lady’s needlework
Zone: 5
Height: 3-4 ft (90-120 cm)
Spread: 1-2 ft (30-45 cm)
Aspect: full sun to partial shade
Soil: average; well-draining
Water: regular, moderate

Description: An herbaceous, upright, delicate-looking perennial. Attractive, deeply incised, rosy-purple leaves make a frothy appearance in late winter or early spring atop thin purple stems. Airy cymes of white flowers add to the delicacy of this plant in late spring through mid-summer.

Special Notes: Native across Europe, northwest Africa, western Russia and Asia Preference is for sunny to dappled shade locations; tolerant of poor soil conditions with moderate water. Drought tolerant once established. Cymes of white flowers attract pollinators and look good as cut flowers. Resistant to rabbits; not sure about deer. Slugs and snails may be a problem for young plants. Powdery mildew may be a problem in summer if in a crowded area with inadequate breeze.

Self-seeds so best to deadhead spent flowers before seeds drops. However, young seedlings are easily pulled in the spring before their tap root has developed. Removing older plants means digging down to get all of the root.

If you collect seed from this plant, it will need some vernalization (a cold period) in order to kick start germination. I find it much easier to let some seeds overwinter in place in the garden to sprout in the spring.

In our Zone 7a garden: This is one of my favourite plants for ease of care and bullet-tough constitution. Fresh foliage appears in late January, early February and handles surprise frosts well. An Australian nursery claims ‘Ravenswing’ is frost hardy to -10 °C (14 °F) and I believe it. There is never any frost damage on the early new growth after a late frost.

All of our ‘Ravenswing’ have come from a single plant on which I occasionally left a few flowers to go to seed. I have not experienced any problems with slugs or snails or rabbits. We are fenced for deer but one got in recently but either did not find my newly emerging ‘Ravenswing’ plants or chose not to taste them.

Posted on February 8, 2024; updated on August 6, 2024

Anemone x hybrida ‘September Charm’            
(ah-NEM-oh-nee ex HY-brid-ah)
Syn. Anemone hupehensis var. japonica ‘September Morn’

Family: Ranunculaceae

Common name: Japanese anemone; windflower
Zone: 4 – 8
Height: 24-36 in (60-90 cm)
Spread: 24 in (60 cm)
Aspect: full sun; part shade
Soil: average; well-draining
Water: moderate

Description: An erect, fibrous-rooted, spreading herbaceous perennial. Height is usually two to three feet (60 – 90 cm), but has been known to reach four feet (120 cm). Single, branching, wiry stem rises above a dark green mound of trifoliate leaves. Each branch extending from the central stem supports a 2 – 3 in (5 – 7.5 cm) diameter flower of typically five purely delightful silver-pink petals, blushed with dark rose shading, surrounding a central grouping of bright yellow stamens.

Special Notes: A garden hybrid from suspected parentage of Anemone hupehensis var. japonica and Anemone vitifolia. With a bloom period stretching from mid-August through to October, this is a wonderful flowering perennial for late season interest in the garden.

Since the flowers are sterile, the plant increases from its fibrous roots which may be a problem for some gardeners. Spread is not so quick, however, that the plant cannot be kept within boundaries using a sharp spade to curb the expansion and pulling up the wandering offspring.

Pot up the offshoots to share with friends and fellow gardeners…or dry them out in a hot sun to kill them before adding them to your compost. But do make sure the unwanted plants are clearly expired before you throw them into your compost bin!

In our Zone 7a garden: In spite of this perennial being a spreader, we do enjoy its presence in our garden. The flowers are a welcome addition and even though the flowers are purported to be sterile, I have seen various winged insects on the bright yellow stamens. There must be something beneficial buried in there for them which is an attractant.

Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit (AGM) 1993

Posted on October 4, 2017; updated on August 6, 2024