Columbine

For all its delicate beauty, columbine is one tough customer. It’s cold-tolerant, drought-tolerant, deer-tolerant and reseeds easily so you can have a big grouping like those you see in photo 1 without a lot of effort or expense.

Columbine’s out-of-the-ordinary blooms are made up of petals and sepals with spurs that sweep gracefully out behind them. They can be long or short but always contain nectar that hummingbirds are perfectly adapted to imbibe with their long tongues.

Many columbine species are native to North America and a few are from Europe and Asia. They grow in a wide variety of conditions, from the rocky slopes of mountains to the dappled shade of woodlands and can be small enough to edge the front of your border or mingle midrange with other flowery companions. The unique blooms range in size from 1 to 3 inches and are easy to appreciate next to a patio or in a container. For the most impact,