{"product_id":"aquilegia-nora-barlow","title":"Aquilegia Nora Barlow","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e \u003cmeta content=\"width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0\" name=\"viewport\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cstyle\u003e\n\n  * { box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0; padding: 0; }\n  body { padding: 30px 24px 60px; }\n\n  details {\n    border: 1px solid #d8e4c8;\n    border-radius: 8px;\n    margin: 16px 0;\n    overflow: hidden;\n    background: #f9fdf5;\n  }\n  summary {\n    cursor: pointer;\n    padding: 14px 18px;\n    font-weight: 700;\n    color: #2c2c2c;\n    background: #eef5e4;\n    border-radius: 8px;\n    list-style: none;\n    display: flex;\n    align-items: center;\n    gap: 8px;\n    user-select: none;\n  }\n  summary::-webkit-details-marker { display: none; }\n  summary::after { content: '＋'; margin-left: auto; color: #5a7e3a; }\n  details[open] summary::after { content: '－'; }\n  details[open] summary { border-radius: 8px 8px 0 0; background: #ddeecb; 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}\n  .swatch-sow        { background: #5a9e3a; }\n  .swatch-sow-autumn { background: #7a6a3a; }\n  .swatch-transplant { background: #e8940a; }\n  .swatch-flower     { background: #b04070; }\n  .swatch-empty      { background: #e2e2e2; border: 1px solid #bbb; }\n\n  .tip-box {\n    background: #fcf0f6;\n    border: 1px solid #d8a0c0;\n    border-left: 5px solid #7a2a5a;\n    border-radius: 8px;\n    padding: 14px 18px;\n    margin-top: 20px;\n    color: #1e0818;\n  }\n  .tip-box strong { color: #0e0410; }\n\n  .strapline {\n    font-style: italic;\n    color: #555;\n    margin-bottom: 22px;\n    border-left: 3px solid #7a2a5a;\n    padding-left: 14px;\n  }\n  .intro p { margin-bottom: 14px; color: #333; }\n\n  .rhs-badge {\n    display: inline-flex;\n    align-items: center;\n    gap: 10px;\n    background: #2a5a1a;\n    color: #fff;\n    border-radius: 8px;\n    padding: 10px 20px;\n    font-weight: 700;\n    margin-bottom: 20px;\n    font-size: 1.05rem;\n    letter-spacing: 0.01em;\n  }\n\n  .closing-box {\n    background: #f0f6e8;\n    border: 1px solid #c5dea8;\n    border-radius: 10px;\n    padding: 20px 24px;\n    margin-top: 24px;\n  }\n  .closing-box h3 { margin-bottom: 8px; color: #2c4a1a; }\n  .closing-box p  { color: #333; margin-bottom: 8px; }\n  .closing-box a  { color: #2c4a8a; font-weight: 700; }\n\n  hr.section { border: none; border-top: 1px solid #ddeecb; margin: 28px 0; }\n\n\u003c\/style\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eAquilegia 'Nora Barlow' Seeds\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"strapline\"\u003eA fully double, spurless *stellata* type producing pompon flowers of raspberry-pink and creamy white with the unmistakable lime-green petal tips that set 'Nora Barlow' apart from every other columbine, named after Charles Darwin's granddaughter and known in gardens since the seventeenth century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"intro\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmong all the aquilegia varieties available from seed, 'Nora Barlow' is the one that is immediately and unmistakably identifiable. The fully double, spurless rosette form it shares with the Barlow Mixed series gives it the characteristic pompon appearance — layers of petals rather than the classic nodding bonnet — but the colour combination is entirely its own: raspberry-pink petals with creamy-white edges, and at the very tips of each petal, a distinctive flush of pale lime-green that no other aquilegia variety carries. This green-tipped quality is 'Nora Barlow's signature — the detail that makes visitors stop, look closely, and ask what it is — and it intensifies as the flower matures, the green becoming slightly more pronounced as the pink fades gently toward the creamy-white outer edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe plant carries the RHS Award of Garden Merit for consistently excellent performance, and it carries the name of Nora Barlow (1885–1989), Charles Darwin's granddaughter and a botanist and geneticist in her own right, who became associated with this ancient garden variety through her championing of it at a time when more flamboyant modern hybrids were beginning to displace the older cottage garden forms. The variety itself is considerably older than its namesake — it appears in seventeenth century horticultural records — but Nora Barlow's advocacy gave it a name, a renewed place in cultivation, and the kind of human story that turns a beautiful flower into something genuinely memorable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"section\"\u003e\u003c!-- DROPDOWN 1: Understanding the Plant --\u003e\n\u003cdetails open=\"\"\u003e\n\u003csummary\u003e🌿 Understanding the Plant\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"dropdown-body\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAquilegia vulgaris\u003c\/em\u003e var. \u003cem\u003estellata\u003c\/em\u003e 'Nora Barlow' is a \u003cstrong\u003eHardy Herbaceous Perennial\u003c\/strong\u003e (H7) and holder of the \u003cstrong\u003eRHS Award of Garden Merit\u003c\/strong\u003e — the fully double, spurless *stellata* aquilegia in the specific raspberry-pink, cream, and lime-green colouring that has made this one of the most instantly recognisable and most sought-after perennials in the cottage garden tradition. At 80–90cm it is the tallest of the three aquilegia varieties in the range and the one with the broadest spacing requirement (45cm).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Lime-Green Petal Tips:\u003c\/strong\u003e The characteristic green tips of 'Nora Barlow' are caused by a partial reversion of the petal cells toward chlorophyll-producing tissue — in a sense, the very tip of each petal is behaving slightly like a leaf rather than a flower petal. This is a stable genetic characteristic of the variety, not a sign of disease or stress, and is one of the most botanically interesting colour features in the garden. The green intensifies slightly as the flower ages, giving 'Nora Barlow' a colour that evolves through its vase and garden life rather than simply fading uniformly. In a cutting garden arrangement, the green tips add a quality of freshness and botanical interest that no other aquilegia can provide.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Darwin–Barlow Connection:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nora Barlow (1885–1989) had an extraordinary life by any measure — the granddaughter of Charles Darwin, a botanist and geneticist who worked in an era when women in science faced formidable barriers, and a scholar who edited and published important scientific correspondence well into her old age. She became associated with this aquilegia variety through her cultivation of it at her home, where she grew and studied plants in the tradition of her famous grandfather. The aquilegia was not bred by her — it was already centuries old when she encountered it — but her name has become its most lasting association, and it is a particularly fitting one. Darwin's work was built on the observation of natural variation and inheritance in plants; his granddaughter's name now permanently attached to one of the most botanically interesting and most visually distinctive of all cultivated columbines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Cross-Pollination Reality:\u003c\/strong\u003e A practical note that is important for gardeners wanting to maintain 'Nora Barlow' as a distinct variety: aquilegias cross-pollinate freely between varieties and even between species. Seedlings from a 'Nora Barlow' plant grown near other aquilegias will often show hybrid characteristics — some may be recognisably Nora Barlow in form, others may be intermediate or surprisingly different. To maintain the variety's characteristics most reliably, either grow it in isolation from other aquilegias or deadhead the flower heads before they set seed and propagate from carefully collected and identified seed. For gardeners who are happy with the natural variation this cross-pollination produces, allowing open self-seeding produces an interesting and ever-evolving colony that retains the double form and much of the pink-green colouring but with natural variation over generations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c!-- DROPDOWN 2: Growing Guide --\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\n\u003csummary\u003e🌱 Growing Guide\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"dropdown-body\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Nora Barlow' is grown in the same way as all aquilegias — cold stratification, surface sowing, partial shade, two-year cycle — but with the additional care notes for maintaining the variety's specific colouring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCold Stratification:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs with all aquilegias, cold stratification significantly improves germination. Sow in pots in \u003cstrong\u003eautumn\u003c\/strong\u003e and leave in an unheated cold frame for natural winter stratification, or place seeds in a sealed bag with damp vermiculite and refrigerate for \u003cstrong\u003ethree to four weeks\u003c\/strong\u003e before spring sowing. If germination stalls after sowing, a further seven to ten days in the cold can break remaining dormancy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow to Sow:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSow indoors from \u003cstrong\u003eFebruary to May\u003c\/strong\u003e. Surface sow onto moist compost — do not cover, or use only the very lightest dusting of vermiculite. Maintain a temperature of \u003cstrong\u003e15–20°C\u003c\/strong\u003e. Germination typically occurs within \u003cstrong\u003e14–30 days\u003c\/strong\u003e after stratification. With 50 seeds per packet, there is plenty for a generous first sowing with some in reserve.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransplanting:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePlant out from \u003cstrong\u003eMay to June\u003c\/strong\u003e after hardening off. Space plants \u003cstrong\u003e45cm apart\u003c\/strong\u003e — slightly wider than the Blue aquilegia's 35cm, reflecting 'Nora Barlow's greater ultimate size and spread. Partial shade is preferred though it tolerates full sun in moist soil. Humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil produces the finest plants.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaintaining Varietal Purity:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor the truest 'Nora Barlow' characteristics in seedlings, deadhead spent flower heads before the seeds ripen and fall — or collect seed from the plants and sow only from identified 'Nora Barlow' plants in the following season. If other aquilegias are growing nearby, some cross-pollination and colour variation in self-seeded offspring is inevitable. This is either a nuisance or an interesting experiment depending on temperament.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHollow Stems and Vase Life:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAquilegia stems are hollow and prone to wilting quickly after cutting. To condition cut stems for the vase, plunge the cut ends into boiling water for approximately ten seconds immediately after cutting, then transfer to deep cool water for several hours before arranging. This seals the hollow stem and prevents air locks that cause premature wilting. With this conditioning, 'Nora Barlow' provides four to six days of good vase life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c!-- DROPDOWN 3: Plant Specifications --\u003e\n\u003cdetails open=\"\"\u003e\n\u003csummary\u003e📋 Plant Specifications\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"dropdown-body\"\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"specs-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBotanical Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAquilegia vulgaris\u003c\/em\u003e var. \u003cem\u003estellata\u003c\/em\u003e 'Nora Barlow'\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCommon Names\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNora Barlow Columbine \/ Double Granny's Bonnet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePlant Type\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHardy Herbaceous Perennial\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHardiness\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eH7 — ultra-hardy to below -20°C\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLight Requirements\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePartial Shade \/ Full Sun ⛅☀️ — prefers dappled shade\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePlant Height\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e80–90cm — the tallest aquilegia in the range\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePlant Spread\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e45cm\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePlant Spacing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e45cm apart\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFlower Form\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFully double, spurless *stellata* rosette — pompon appearance\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFlower Colour\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRaspberry-pink and cream with distinctive lime-green petal tips\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFlowering Period\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMay to July (Year 2 from seed)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRHS Award of Garden Merit\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eYes ✓\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLifespan\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e3–4 years per plant; self-seeds (with some colour variation)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eVase Life Note\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHollow stems — sear in boiling water 10 seconds before conditioning\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSeeds per Packet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eApproximately 50 seeds\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePerfect For\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"perfect-for-grid\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pf-box pf-rose\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"pf-icon\"\u003e🌿\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"pf-label\"\u003eWoodland \u0026amp; Shaded Border Planting\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pf-box pf-pink\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"pf-icon\"\u003e✂️\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"pf-label\"\u003eDistinctive Spring Cut Flower\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pf-box pf-teal\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"pf-icon\"\u003e🏛️\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"pf-label\"\u003eHeritage \u0026amp; Historic Garden Varieties\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pf-box pf-green\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"pf-icon\"\u003e🐝\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"pf-label\"\u003eEarly Pollinator Support\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pf-box pf-slate\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"pf-icon\"\u003e🏡\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"pf-label\"\u003eClassic Cottage Garden Planting\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c!-- DROPDOWN 4: Garden Combinations --\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\n\u003csummary\u003e🤝 Beautiful Garden Combinations\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"dropdown-body\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe raspberry-pink, cream, and lime-green of 'Nora Barlow' is a combination of considerable botanical interest and considerable visual charm — these companions create the most beautiful and most appropriate pairings:\u003cspan class=\"companion-emoji\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"companion-list\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"white\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"companion-emoji\"\u003e🌿\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.bishybarnabeescottagegarden.com\/products\/ammi-majus-seeds\" title=\"Ammi Majus Seeds\"\u003eAmmi Majus\u003c\/a\u003e: The White Lace Framework.\u003c\/strong\u003e In a cutting garden arrangement rather than a border combination, Ammi Majus provides the finest white framework for 'Nora Barlow' cutting stems — the pure white lace umbels creating the airy space around the more substantial double pompon flowers that shows both to their best advantage. The lime-green petal tips of 'Nora Barlow' coordinate particularly well with the fresh, clean white of ammi, the green giving the combination a botanical freshness that prevents it from reading as simply pink-and-white. In a vase, three or four stems of Nora Barlow with an equal number of ammi stems is a spring arrangement of genuine elegance that requires no additional flowers and photographs beautifully.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"blue\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"companion-emoji\"\u003e💜\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.bishybarnabeescottagegarden.com\/products\/aquilegia-barlow-mixed-seeds\" title=\"Aquilegia Barlow Mixed Seeds\"\u003eAquilegia 'Barlow Mixed'\u003c\/a\u003e: The Complete Barlow Collection.\u003c\/strong\u003e Growing 'Nora Barlow' alongside 'Barlow Mixed' provides the most complete and most interesting double aquilegia collection the border can hold — the specific, historically named raspberry-pink-and-green variety alongside the full jewel-toned palette of the mixed series, all in the same double spurless *stellata* form, sharing the same growing requirements and the same flowering season. The two together create a border of considerable botanical diversity within a single flower form, and the lime-green tips of 'Nora Barlow' among the deep blues, wines, and pinks of the mixed series give the whole planting a note of botanical specificity and visual interest that the mixed variety alone, for all its beauty, cannot achieve.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c!-- DROPDOWN 5: Sowing \u0026 Flowering Calendar --\u003e\n\u003cdetails open=\"\"\u003e\n\u003csummary\u003e📅 Sowing \u0026amp; Flowering Calendar\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"dropdown-body\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"calendar-intro\"\u003eSow indoors from February after cold stratification, or direct sow in autumn for natural winter stratification — 'Nora Barlow' establishes in year one and flowers from May to July in year two, with July extending the aquilegia season one month beyond the Blue and Barlow Mixed varieties.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"calendar-wrap\"\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"calendar-table\"\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-label\"\u003e\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eJan\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eFeb\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eMar\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eApr\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eMay\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eJun\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eJul\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eAug\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eSep\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eOct\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eNov\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"cal-month\"\u003eDec\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-label\"\u003e🌱 Sow Indoors\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-sow first-active\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-sow mid\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-sow mid\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-sow last-active\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-sow-autumn first-active\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-sow-autumn last-active\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-label\"\u003e🪴 Plant Out\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-transplant first-active\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-transplant last-active\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-label\"\u003e🌸 Flowering (Yr 2)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-flower first-active\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-flower mid\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-flower last-active\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"cal-cell cal-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"cal-legend\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"cal-legend-item\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"cal-swatch swatch-sow\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eSow Indoors (spring — after cold stratification)\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"cal-legend-item\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"cal-swatch swatch-sow-autumn\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eSow Direct (autumn — natural winter stratification)\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"cal-legend-item\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"cal-swatch swatch-transplant\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003ePlant Out\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"cal-legend-item\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"cal-swatch swatch-flower\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eFlowering (Year 2 onwards)\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"cal-legend-item\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"cal-swatch swatch-empty\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eNot active\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tip-box\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e✨ Sear the Stems, Watch the Green Tips \u0026amp; Deadhead for Purity Tip\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThree things make the most of 'Nora Barlow'. First, sear cut stems in boiling water for ten seconds immediately after cutting — aquilegia stems are hollow and prone to air lock, which causes wilting within hours. The ten-second boiling water treatment seals the stem end and allows the plant to draw water properly; it is the difference between a cut stem that wilts in a day and one that remains beautiful for four to six days. Second, watch the green tips develop as the flower matures — the lime-green intensifies slightly as the raspberry-pink fades toward cream at the petal edges, and a flower that is all-pink in bud is subtly and beautifully three-toned — pink, cream, and green — by the time it is fully open. The green is most visible and most striking close up, and 'Nora Barlow' more than any other aquilegia rewards the attention of looking very closely. Third, deadhead consistently if you want to maintain the variety's characteristic colouring in self-seeded offspring — allow open cross-pollination with other aquilegias and the distinctive green-tipped pink-and-cream of 'Nora Barlow' will gradually dilute in subsequent generations.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"closing-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e🏆 RHS Award of Garden Merit\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAquilegia vulgaris\u003c\/em\u003e 'Nora Barlow' is the aquilegia with the lime-green petal tips, the Darwin connection, the seventeenth century history, and the RHS Award of Garden Merit — a plant of considerable botanical interest, considerable human story, and considerable beauty that earns every one of these credentials in the garden and in the vase. Stratify the seed, grow it alongside alliums for the May-June border combination it has been producing since the seventeenth century, sear the cut stems before vasing them, and look very closely at those lime-green tips when the flower is fully open. This is the aquilegia that rewards attention.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e📖 \u003cstrong\u003eWant more detailed growing advice?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.bishybarnabeescottagegarden.com\/blogs\/growing-guides\"\u003eView our Complete Growing Guide →\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53524448575821,"sku":"AQU-NOR","price":2.55,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0828\/6961\/6973\/files\/Aquilegia_Nora_Barlow_1.jpg?v=1775756607","url":"https:\/\/thefoalyard.co.uk\/products\/aquilegia-nora-barlow","provider":"The Foalyard","version":"1.0","type":"link"}