It’s December, and the first Sunday in Advent, which means that over the past few days our village has slowly been lit up with tree lights and sparkly garden decorations. I love the way that people here in Bavaria wait until Advent, and the more subdued white lights are far more common than models of sleighs or flashing colourful decorations.
I’ve decided to post a favourite flower for each Sunday in Advent, telling you why I like them too. Perhaps you’d like to join me? Here’s the first one:
Aquilegia vulgaris are graceful, decorative, take up little space, flower for weeks on end and don’t mind drought. They attract insects and especially bees, and sway elegantly in the early summer breeze. The paler shades are so delicate, but dark purples, blues and reds can also look rather dramatic between the late tulips and early ground cover of June. They self-seed easily, and are otherwise carefree, trouble-free and show green almost all through the winter. I have so many seedlings again this year and am looking forward to seeing what colours will prevail next spring!
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Hope you have a peaceful run-up to Christmas, with time for the good things in life.
😀
Words and Herbs 
I love your rose header! I like Aquilegia and have planted them in the garden but mine are rather weedy and not at all impressive. I have left them but given up with them.
Thanks Amelia! That is a shame about your aquilegias. Perhaps they will gradually seed themselves in a spot where they can thrive.
Ich wünsche dir einen schönen 1. Advent. That´s a nice idea to show beloved flowers the next sundays. Ich mag Akelei auch sehr gerne und wir haben sie im Garten.
Vielen Dank Uta. Ich wünsche Dir eine gute Woche!
I was so taken with your lovely photograph of Aquilegas that I almost missed your lovely frosted rose.
I have an Advent calendar too, slightly different but still concentrating on the natural rather than the usual glitzy Christmas themes. So I will join you in celebrating to good things in life.
Our frost was fabulous early last week, and the roses were still trying to bloom. I think their ambitions have now been “nipped in the bud” so-to-speak!
Funnily enough I’ve had an email with details of an aquilegia seed list this afternoon Cathy 🙂 One of my favourite flowers and you have described them in a nutshell. How civilised that lights in your part of the world are not lit until Advent.
When we lived in town there were always a few gaudy stars and santas around, but mostly the decorations are quite tasteful near us. Mind you, I do find it fun to see some outlandish display occasionally! I got another seed catalogue a few days ago too… my wishlist is ridiculous! 😉
Hi Cathy, this is lovely – especially the snow! My daughter is super excited for Christmas and this is another of your posts I am sending to her – she will really love the snow flakes. Aquilegias are one of my all time favourites, what a lovely idea too for Advent.
Hi Julie. You know, the snow just appeared courtesy of wordpress! I love the pale pink Aquilegias best, as it just suits their “cottage garden” image. Have a good week!
Aquilegia are fabulous plants to have in the garden – and like you, I wait to see what colours will pop up each year! That’s a great photo with the bee flying in to visit the flower.
Hi Sarah. I’ve been enjoying going through some summery photos the last couple of days choosing some favourites – I can definitely recommend it for a grey afternoon!
Cathy this is one of my favorites…how lovely to have beautiful displays to look at…beautiful header!
Hi Donna – I should love to be the size of a bee for just a moment, to know what it feels like to be inside one of those flowers… 😉
I like your delicate Aquilegia Cathy. I grow a different one, Aquilegia canadensis, native to North America, but prefer yours.
I quite like the canadensis too, but somehow it wouldn’t look right here…
Happy Advent!
This will be the first year I have aquilegia seedlings scattered through the garden and I’m looking forward to the show. They’re all the blue vulgaris type, I found them in the woods and rescued a few from the bulldozer.
I hope your aquilegia don’t disappoint – look forward to seeing how they do for you!
I love your frosty rose header, I’m so lazy, I don’t change mine, perhaps for next year I’ll try. I wish my Aquilegia self seeded but they do survive the drought and I love their delicate flowers too.
I’m surprised your Aquilegia don’t self seed Christina – your Californian poppies do, but they must be even more resilient! Some of my Aquilegia did get scorched in the long hot period we had this summer though.
What a wonderful plant to start your advent celebration, which is a great idea by the way. I like the sound of all those stylish Christmas decorations springing up in your neighbourhood, the mad brilliant colour of the Mormon Christmas lights in Phoenix made me smile, a lot, as did the crazy colour of some of our old neighbours, but it is hard to beat subtle twinkling white for real magic at this time of year.
Did you live in Phoenix then Janet? I agree, white is more magical! 😉
To all the good things in life dear Cathy! I love the idea of your flower a day post. A bit like my son’s chocolate advent calendar. A little treat each day. I can’t wait. Village life in Bavaria sounds peaceful and charming. And I love your frosted covered rose header. Much love from Finland, Sharon
Thank you so much Sharon. 😀 Hope you won’t be disappointed though, as I’m only posting a flower for each Advent Sunday, not every single day. Maybe next year! 😉 Hope you have a lovely week Sharon. xx
I was thinking of you when my son took his second chocolate out from his Advent calendar! 😀 Yes, maybe it would be too much to post daily with so much going on now. I shall wait for your next Advent Sunday flower Cathy. And I can imagine the wonderful smells of Christmas wafting through your home this season! Hugs x
😀
I prefer the Aquilegia canadensis, which has many of the same virtues but all the flowers are yellow and red. It also has great blue-green foliage that in the right spot can make a good groundcover when the flowers are gone.
Perhaps I’ll try growing one, and then I can compare! I’m just not sure the red flowers would look right in my garden…
Aquilegias are indeed charming and I keep scattering seeds all over the place to create a wild look. Lovely xmas arrangement, Cathy, and I wish you a relaxing, joyful month too. 🙂
Thank you Annette. It’s good to think of flowers and seedlings when the garden has shut down for a while. Have a good week!
Granny’s bonnet! Love them. Your header photo of the frosted rose is beautiful.
Thanks! Yes, I love that name for Aquilegias, and there isn’t really a common name for them in German.