Growing Aquilegias

I just love Aquilegias , so pretty and so good for Bees. There were a few already planted when I moved in and I've planted some too. They are all self seeding around the garden.

@shiney it's such a shame about your Aquilegias . Maybe disease resistant plants will be created soon

 

A potentially daft question about aquilegia - I have a few plants now, in a range of different colours. If I collect seed from them to grow next year will the seedlings be true to parent colour or are they likely to be a diluted hotch-potch mix of all of the adult plants?

 

@2nd_bassoon Unfortunately they hybridise like mad so you may get some with the original colouring, but most won't. The seedlings tend to fade over a couple of generations, but given the number of flower shape you can have, you should get an interesting mix. The loss of colour is why I start new plants from known seed every few years to add into the mix.

 

Thanks @NigelJ, that was what I thought. I'll do a combination of both then, collect some seed to see what comes through but have a few known backups as well!