Aquilegia ‘Black Barlow’

Aquilegia 'Black Barlow' (Aquilegia vulgaris cultivar) is the cottage garden perennial for gardeners who want something darker than the usual pastel. The double, spurless flowers open a deep plum purple that reads almost black in shade, on wiry stems about 80cm tall above a mound of blue green foliage roughly 40cm across. It flowers through spring and early summer, dies back, then returns.

Why you'll love it

• A colour few plants offer. The blooms sit near black in low light and set off silver, lime and white planting.
• Bees and butterflies work it hard, and the seed heads that follow bring small birds in.
• Frost hardy and wind tolerant. It shrugs off a cold winter, and the wiry stems bend in wind rather than snapping.
• It self seeds. Left alone, one planting becomes a drift over a few years.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 30cm apart through the middle of a border, where the stems rise between lower plants, or along a path for a continuous ribbon.

Mass planting in a cottage bed. Groups of five or more look far better than single plants dotted about. This plant works in numbers.

Pots and small gardens. Three plants in a 400mm pot make a good spring display for a courtyard.

Growing Aquilegia in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade. In cool temperate gardens give it full sun; in warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens, morning sun with afternoon shade keeps the flowers going longer. It is frost hardy and needs winter cold to perform, so it is not a plant for tropical, subtropical or arid gardens.

Soil. Rich, moisture retentive and free draining. Work compost or aged manure through the bed before planting, and mulch lightly, keeping the crown clear.

Water and feed. Keep the soil evenly moist through spring while it flowers, and reduce watering once it dies back over summer. Compost in late winter and a liquid feed as the stems rise is enough. Too much nitrogen gives leaves at the expense of flowers.

Pruning. Cut spent flower stems back to the base to encourage a second flush, or leave a few to set seed if you want it to spread. Cut the plant back once the foliage yellows and it reshoots from the crown.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold as tube stock: a young plant with a well developed root system that establishes quickly and catches a larger plant within a season. Expect a small rosette of foliage rather than flowers.

Tube stock travels well, and a limp plant on arrival perks up within a day of planting and watering. Plant into prepared soil straight away, water in well, and expect the first proper flush in the spring following planting. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Perennials for a cottage garden.
• Creating a cottage garden in Australia.
• Browse the wider flowering plants range.
• More bee and butterfly plants.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Thirty centimetres apart. Each plant makes a mound about 40cm across, so at that spacing the foliage meets and the flower stems rise together as a drift.

Does it come back every year?

Yes. It is a short lived perennial that dies back and reshoots from the crown. Most plants give three or four good seasons, and self sown seedlings carry the planting on.

Will it grow in a warm climate?

In warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens, yes, with afternoon shade. It needs winter cold to flower properly, so subtropical, tropical and arid gardens are not suited.

Does it come true from seed?

Mostly. Self sown seedlings usually hold the dark double form, though some vary if other aquilegias are flowering nearby. Lift and discard any you do not like.