'Woodside Gold' Columbine
"And here I plant nodding columbines."
-Amy Lowell
Granny Artemis obtained the columbine shown on this page when it was a tiny-tiny start. It is of the 'Woodside Gold' strain, which alludes to the bright yellow-green leaves rather than the flower color, & it comes in several colors, ours being a pale rose pink.
It was planted in fairly deep shade increasingly hemmed in by ferns & a big Japanese aucuba & other such shade-lovers.
Even though a bit more light might have suited it better, 'Woodside Gold' has nevertheless done very well there, returning for three years running (as of 2003).
The foliage grows to two feet, The flower stems lift it to three feet. The photo was taken in May; by the end of June it had green seeds, which remained with their own decorative charm slowly drying out, then by the middle of August "exploded" the seeds about the area.
Since columbines are rather shortlived perennials, the best way to have them always in the garden is to not deadhead them & permit them to naturalize. If they are rigorously deadheaded, however, they are less apt to spread, but will continue to bloom through August.
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Columbine 'William Guinness'