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Aquilegias - so plumptious
I have a lot of self-seeded aquilegias in my garden that right now are big and plump with beautiful foliage and the flowers are about to open. However, the foliage takes up perhaps 50% of one border, so after they have flowered, do you think if I trimmed back the foliage by about half it would kill them? I have all sorts of other stuff to go in and there'd be room if the aquilegias hadn't grown so big.
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No it won't kill them. They often get mildew and I cut them back and they grow new healthy leaves.
In the sticks near Peterborough
I do the same nut. The foliage is usually a bit tatty after the flowers have finished and when cut off it is replaced by lovely fresh stuff that looks quite attractive in itself. By the way, have you seen any signs of that awful disease on any of yours yet? I've a few I'm keeping my eye on but no confirmed sighting yet thank goodness. Don't know what I'd do without them filling the spring to summer 'gap'.
Mine look OK but there seem to be less of them coming along this year. Nothing to show from a lot of last year's seed raised ones.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Same here - perhaps very young ones are more susceptible? I've a tray full of new babies to prick-out so will be keeping a very close eye on those!
Great tip, thanks Bob and Nut. I have a lot that have self seeded in not-ideal places, but they are so pretty I am loathe to remove them. So I will leave them for the flowers then give them a haircut
Funny how the fancy ones from the GC don't do nearly as well for me
Smaller foliage than the big ones and with scented flowers!
"Plumptious". Thank you for providing me with my word of the week
Thanks everyone - you're always so helpful. No sign of any mildew on mine yet, though I have heard it's reached Hertfordshire which is not too far from me. They are a true cottage favourite of mine.
That was helpful to me also, as lots of self seeded Aqualegias in my garden, however, their canopy creates a lot of shade.
I will cut back after flowering.
I'm getting excited as I have a lot of new ones I grew from Touchwood seed, that should flower for the first time this year. Nothing open yet, only buds.