Saturday, May 21, 2011

A Cloud of Wild Columbines

The skies are grey today, but there's a little cloud of fire at our doorstep:


This wild columbine gets bigger and more beautiful every year. I didn't plant it;  it must have been the gift of the wind.

Some of its more fanciful names include Rock Bells, Cluckies, Jack-in-Trousers...


...Wild Honeysuckle, Granny's Bonnets, Dancing Fairies.


I think they look like little jesters' hats.

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4 comments:

  1. Wonderful names for a wonderful flower.

    We call them Akelei (or Kolumbine, which I've never heard before). They grow wild in the woods and in old farmhouse gardens. Unfortunately I have got none.

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  2. The Latin name for this flower is Aquilegia. Akelei sounds similar. Is that German or High Swiss?

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  3. I planted purple (oops, VIOLET) ones in my front yard this year. It's about time!!! They grow all over the mountains here. It's the state flower. The red ones are rare here, so this was a real visual treat.

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  4. I saw pictures of the purple ones online when looking up the Latin name of this one. They're beautiful.

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