Granny's Bonnet

Aquilegia vulgaris

Granny's Bonnet is a perennial for mid-border, suited to full sun to partial shade and clay, loam or chalk, flowering May, Jun.

Where to use it in a border

At around 60 cm, it sits best through the middle of a border, between taller structure behind and edging in front. Give it about 45 cm of room to spread, roughly 2 to the metre when planted in a drift. It is hardy across USDA zones 3a to 8b and rated H7 by the RHS, so check it suits your area before planting.

It appears in our lists of full sun, clay soil, chalk soil, pollinator-friendly plants.

Border Builder uses Granny's Bonnet's height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.

Flowering through the year

Worth knowing

• Not recorded as pet-safe; site it away from pets that graze if that matters to you.
• Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.

Good companions

Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:

• Foxglovefor height behind it
• Primroseto edge in front
• Black Cohoshfor height behind it
• Bugleto edge in front
• Common Honeysucklefor height behind it
• Creeping Phloxto edge in front

Garden styles

Cottage garden Native Shade cottage Wildlife garden Woodland