Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Mellow Yellow’
MELLOW YELLOW COLUMBINES
Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Mellow Yellow’ is such an asset in a shaded garden.
Gently glowing foliage lights up shade
Because it gently glows with soft yellow foliage, and so permanently lights up the dull area year round.
Flowers of gentle colours
While the spring blooms also help to lighten the gloom, as they glow in gentle shades of white to palest lemon. So perfectly complimenting the soft colour of the foliage.
Sensational colour teamed with purple & dark foliage
However when ‘Mellow Yellow’ is used as an underplanting for purple or dark foliaged shrubs – it simply pops with colour.
Or try it alongside blue foliaged Hostas – wow.
Prolific spring-early summer blooms
Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Mellow Yellow’ blooms prolifically spring into summer, with old-fashioned columbine style flowers.
And supplies great cut flowers as well as buckets of charm.
Tough, easy, low maintenance under trees & shrubs
Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Mellow Yellow’ is ideal as an easy, low maintenance groundcover under trees and shrubs.
Where it thrives in the Dappled Shade, and is undemanding, water-wise, plus frost and heat hardy.
Hardy in dry shade
‘Mellow Yellow’ is also tough and enduring in drier shaded spots, once established.
Avoided by rabbits & deer
While the beautiful foliage and flowers are so much appreciated by colour conscious gardeners, fortunately rabbits and deer are not attracted. They find the flavour unpalatable due to compounds in the leaves.
So the munching pests will tend to hop past them to something they consider tasty.
Ever-gold perennial
Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Mellow Yellow’ makes a hardy, evergreen (sorry – ever gold) perennial clump. Approx. 75cm High in charming bloom x 25cm Wide of dainty glowing, evergreen foliage.
It will also gently self-sow in the garden if you leave some stems to go to seed.
And happily a high percentage of the offspring will also have the gently glowing foliage of their parents.
SEED SOWING ADVICE:
Sow Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Mellow Yellow’ seeds at any time indoors in a punnet / or scatter directly in garden in autumn and winter.
Aquilegias germinate easily in the garden after chilling by the cold of winter.
Indoors for early plants: First sow the seeds on the surface of good quality seed raising mix.
Then barely cover the seeds with sieved mix.
Because these seeds need light to germinate.
Now thoroughly moisten the punnet by standing in a shallow water bath. Allow the moisture to percolate up to the surface of the mix from below.
Then place the sown punnet in a warm, well-lit position (not in direct sunlight)
Temperatures of 15- 24C approx. are ideal for rapid and optimum germination.
Seedlings may begin emerging as soon as 10 days, but within 21-28 days.
However if there is no germination after 4 weeks it means the seeds are dormant and require a period of chilling.
So wrap the moist, sown punnet in cling-wrap and keep in fridge (not freezer) for 4-6 weeks.
Then return to a well lit position at 15-24C for germination.
However do not discard the punnet as seeds will continue to germinate for a staggered period after the chilling.
Seed Count: 45 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count and give a generous serve).
GROWING: Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Mellow Yellow’
Height with flowers: 75 cm. High branching flower stems with flocks of columbine flowers.
Width: 25cm. Wide evergreen clump of ferny foliage.
Position: Plant in a shaded, semi shaded, to sunny position. Aquilegias thrive in the dappled shade under trees and shrubs, and under deciduous trees.
Growth: Hardy and long-lived, evergreen perennial clump.
And plants will also self-seed babies around themselves in suitable conditions.
Hardy & Easy to grow
Soil: Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Mellow Yellow’ can thrive in a variety of soils, from sandy to clay based. And cope with pH on either the acid or alkaline side of neutral.
Soil enriched with compost and mulch is perfect.
However all soils must be well drained because Aquilegia hate being waterlogged.
Frost: Very frost hardy. Aquilegia plants are able to cope with hard frosts, down to at least -15C, depending on conditions.
Water-wise
Water: Aquilegias are not thirsty, water-demanding plants. Especially when they are grown in their preferred positions in the semi-shade under trees and shrubs. Here they can resist periods of dry, requiring no more than average garden watering in warmer periods.
Versatile for pots garden & cut flowers
Pots: Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Mellow Yellow’ is lovely in a decorative pot, where both flowers and foliage add such colour interest.
Cut Flowers: ‘Mellow Yellow’ gives plenty of excellent cut flowers for a vase. With charming, simple flowers and long strong stems. Cut blooms can last for up to 2 weeks indoors.
Bees & Birds: The flowers provide nectar for bees, and are also visited by butterflies, moths, and other beneficial pollinating insects.
Low care
Care & Maintenance: Easy care, low maintenance plant.
If you wish to prevent baby Aquilegias from popping up you can trim off spent flower stems.
Or you can leave seed pods to self-sow more babies around the parent plant. Aquilegias are never annoying or a nuisance.
Fertilizer: Fertilizer can be applied in spring and autumn.
We also recommend to water in with fish or seaweed products at planting.
Pruning: You can cut the clump back to the socks to re-generate fresh, new leaves if necessary. However, Aquilegia do not need any regular pruning other than to trim off spent flower stems once a year.
Avoided by pests
Pests & Diseases: Rarely troubled by any pests or diseases.
Deer & Rabbit resistant: Aquilegia have an unpalatable taste to both rabbits and deer because of compounds in the leaves. So the chewing pests tend to leave Aquilegia plants alone.
Herbal, History & Uses
Herbal uses: Aquilegia vulgaris was historically used in herbal medicine for treating infected wounds with teas and poultices.
However, the consumption and internal use of Aquilegia is not recommended by modern science. Thankfully deer and rabbits seem to know this too.
While the most popular historic use of Aquilegia was as a treatment treating head lice. So seeds would be ground up and rubbed into lice-ridden hair.
Happily, our modern chemists have less labour-intensive lice treatments on their shelf.
History: The name Aquilegia originates from Latin where the word for eagle is “aquila”.
So Aquilegia because the shape of the spurred flower does indeed resemble the claw of an eagle.
The common name “Columbine” also comes from Latin where the word “columba” means “dove”. So when we call them Columbines, we refer to an Aquilegia bloom resembling five doves billing and cooing together. They have long been a symbol for peace.
Origin: Aquilegia vulgaris, in very many varieties and forms, is a native to the woodlands of Europe. Because it is such a hardy and adaptable plant it is widespread across the continent and has been able to develop so many highly attractive variations.
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