Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata 'Blue Barlow' (Barlow Series)

granny's bonnet

Eventual height & spread

Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata 'Blue Barlow' (Barlow Series)

granny's bonnet

  • 9cm pot
  • £10.99
  • available to order from autumn
  • 3 × 9cm pots
  • £24.99 £8.33 each
  • available to order from autumn
  • 6 × 9cm pots
  • £39.99 £6.67 each
  • available to order from autumn
  • approx 40 seeds
  • £2.62 £3.49
  • available to order from autumn
Delivery options
  • Standard £5.99
  • Position: full sun or partial shade
  • Soil: moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil
  • Rate of growth: average
  • Flowering period: May to June
  • Hardiness: fully hardy


Intensely coloured violet blue sepals, that provide a vibrant contrast to the yellow stamens, form slightly nodding or outward-facing flowers on stiff, upright stems.

Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata 'Blue Barlow' looks very effective when planted next to silver foliage, and the flowers will last well in cut arrangements.


  • Garden care:
    Plant Aquilegia in sun or partial shade in moist but well-drained soil. It's tolerant of a range of soil types and will often self-seed if happy, creating natural-looking drifts.

    Remove faded flower stems to tidy the plant or leave them to self-seed.

    Lift and divide large clumps in early spring and apply a generous 5–7cm (2–3in) mulch of well-rotted manure or garden compost around the plant. Divided specimens may take some time to establish since they don't like having their roots disturbed.


  • Sowing instructions:
    In autumn, surface-sow on moist compost in small pots or seed trays and keep them in a greenhouse or cold frame at 15-20°C (59-68°F). Germination can be slow (up to 3 months) but seedlings should be thinned out as they grow on and over-wintered under glass before planting out after hardening off in spring. Alternatively, spring sowing can be undertaken as before, often without the need for heat.


  • Sow: March to June or September to October


  • Flowering: May to June
  • Goes well with