Aquilegia William Guinness

The most dramatic aquilegia in the range. Aquilegia William Guinness produces striking bicolour blooms of deep, velvety purple-black and pure white — a combination of extraordinary elegance that looks as though it has been designed by a couturier rather than grown in a garden, on tall, wiry stems that sway gracefully in the early summer breeze.

Ultra-hardy (H7), self-seeding, and one of the finest perennials for shaded and semi-shaded borders where little else provides this quality of flower.

• Aquilegia vulgaris 'William Guinness' — Hardy Perennial (H7)
• Height: 60–90cm | Flowers: May–June
• Sow indoors February–April; cold stratification aids germination
• Partial shade to full sun; well-drained soil
• Self-seeds freely — naturalises beautifully over time
• Outstanding pollinator plant — long-tongued bumblebees

Grow it with Honesty Mixed and White Sweet Rocket for a late spring border of purple-black, silver, and white that is one of the most sophisticated combinations in the cottage garden.