And now, a bit about the beautiful columbine for those gardeners who may wish to plant a few in their special garden of memories. Columbines are a very hardy perennial and will thrive in all zones in the United States, as well as in temperate areas in other parts of the world. They prefer filtered shade and moist soil, but tolerate full sun if they have sufficient water. Their dainty, nodding flowers vary in size from one to three inches across, with blossoms ranging in color from exquisite pastels to deeper colors such as purple, yellow, orange, and red. The contrasting sepals and petals of the columbine lend a pixie-like look to them as they sit gracefully atop erect, wiry branches, their lacy green foliage adding further to their beauty.
All columbine flowers have backward-projecting spurs that contain rich nectar.
This makes them very attractive to hummingbirds. Some have large flowers with longer spurs, while others have shorter spurs with double flowers, depending on the species. Its delicate, erect pastel blue and white flowers are about two inches across and very fragrant. The spurs of this species are approximately two inches long, and are either straight or spreading. Imagine for a moment Edwin James tenderly lifting this lovely plant from its hiding place in the soil of Pikes Peak over a hundred years ago.