Carrie Thomas: Obsessed by aquilegias especially doubles with yellow.

Discussion in 'New Members Introduction' started by Carrie Thomas, Jul 7, 2012.

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  1. Carrie Thomas

    Carrie Thomas Apprentice Gardener

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    Hello, I'm Carrie Thomas, a keen plantswoman with an interest in unusual and rare gardenworthy plants, as well as cottage garden favourites. I especially enjoy growing from seed, sowing several hundred types each year as I'm awed by the miraculous process of germination.


    In particular I love aquilegias (granny bonnets/ columbines), and I have the National Plant Collection®of Aquilegia vulgaris cultivars here in Swansea; comprising not only singles but all forms of doubles, bicolours and scented forms.
    In recognition of the incredible red and yellow doubles that are being created here, Plant Heritage (was NCCPG) granted Plant Collection status in Autumn 2009 for 'Aquilegia hybrids'(adding to the existing 'Aquilegia vulgaris cultivars'). Come and see them, I'm sure you'll be wowed! They flower a little later than the A. vulgaris cultivars, so extending the season. There's doubles in yellow, red & yellow, pink & yellow, 'black' & yellow, and finally in 2012 I now have purple & yellow. Blue & yellow doubles are proving elusive.............
     
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      Carrie Thomas, Jul 7, 2012
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    • shiney

      shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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        shiney, Jul 7, 2012
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      • Lolimac

        Lolimac Guest

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        Hello Carrie and welcome to GC:dbgrtmb:
         
        Lolimac, Jul 7, 2012
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      • Carrie Thomas

        Carrie Thomas Apprentice Gardener

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        Thanks Shiney....someone else mentioned gardeners corner on facebook and yup, I finally got here myself! Glad you remembered me!
         
        Carrie Thomas, Jul 7, 2012
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      • joolz68

        joolz68 Total Gardener

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        Welcome back:) I had some lovely aquilegia flowers from the seeds i purchased from you last yr carrie :ThankYou:..it was probably shineys thread that lead to to touchwood :blue thumb:
        [​IMG]
        [​IMG]
        [​IMG]://i829.photobucket.com/albums/zz215/joolz68/aqueligias/DSC_0035.jpg[/IMG]
        [​IMG]
        [​IMG]
         
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          joolz68, Jul 7, 2012
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        • Penny in Ontario

          Penny in Ontario Total Gardener

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          [​IMG]
           
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            Penny in Ontario, Jul 8, 2012
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          • Carrie Thomas

            Carrie Thomas Apprentice Gardener

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            Like the wide range that you got from my Seeds Joolz, especially the 2nd pic with a lovely light pink and creamy double (perhaps the creaminess fades to white as it ages). The next generations should give you even more variation, I just love that there's never any end to what the aquilegia genes can combine and produce!
             
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              Carrie Thomas, Jul 8, 2012
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            • shiney

              shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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              We have a few Aquilegias around the garden. There are a lot of them that have been crossbreeding for years.

              This is the bed on our front verge by the road.
              P1120392.JPG


              This is typical of a lot of other beds around the garden
              P1120416.JPG


              We have them in the veg plot where they bring bees to pollinate the veg
              P1120578.JPG


              And we have many other varieties - here are a few of our favourites
              P1120627.JPG

              P1120638.JPG

              P1120668.JPG
               
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                shiney, Jul 8, 2012
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              • Aesculus

                Aesculus Bureaucrat 34 (Admin)

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                Welcome to GC Carrie

                [​IMG]


                I've always loved aquilegia for there variation each year just stunning:wub2:
                 
                Aesculus, Jul 8, 2012
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              • Marley Farley

                Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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                [​IMG] Carrie, I too love Columbines & I have lots of them, but this year they have puzzled me... Not 1 pink one which I thought really strange just different shades of purples & my purple & white doubles were all purple!! :scratch:
                 
                Marley Farley, Jul 8, 2012
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              • Carrie Thomas

                Carrie Thomas Apprentice Gardener

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                Absolutely stunning! it looks wonderful by photo and it must take your breath away to see it in real life! Don't think I've seen so many together in so many places in a garden....I dont have the room here...looks like your garden is much larger than what I have. I often wish its larger here....except for all those times when i cannot keep up with the work!
                 
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                  Carrie Thomas, Jul 8, 2012
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                • shiney

                  shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                  That's one of the main reasons we open our garden at the time of year when they're in bloom :dbgrtmb:. This year there was a 3-4 year old boy walking round the garden for an hour with a look of wonder in his eyes and continually say "Wow! Magic!!". I can only imagine how they must have looked when you're shorter than the plants so your whole view is filled with that colour. I think he may now be a gardening enthusiast - his father went to Writtle College.

                  We're now into the massive task of cutting them back. Over the years we've calculated that there must be between 3,000 and 5,000 of them. Nowadays we only leave a few to go to seed.
                   
                  shiney, Jul 9, 2012
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                • AdamBorzy

                  AdamBorzy Gardener

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                  We're glad to have you here Carrie. Welcome to GC.
                   
                  AdamBorzy, Jul 18, 2012
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                • shiney

                  shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                  I'm bumping this thread up after two years :blue thumb:

                  You've recently mentioned a new disease that Aquilegias have got. That must be the reason why we have lost about 4,000 of them :sad:
                   
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                    shiney, May 30, 2014
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                  • Marley Farley

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                    Marley Farley, May 30, 2014
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