Lavender Lavinka Columbine
In Spring 2017 Julie B. gifted me with two beautiful columbines from her yard in Ft. Wayne. They are hybrids from her garden. I carefully tended these as years ago I managed to kill a beautiful bloodwort plant also known as bloodroot that she sent me. It was sad for the plant and embarrassing for me especially as I've since learned they are native plants in Eastern North America including the Piedmont. It didn't survive our summer heat and dryness that year.
On to a success story...... The columbines survived the summer and moderate drought of Summer/Fall 2017! They even survived our record breaking number of hours below freezing in the winter of 2018. I planted these in an established garden bed which has good, deep, soft soil. This bed began with a load of topsoil added on top of the lawn over twenty years ago. Since that time I periodically add mushroom compost and willow oak leaves to keep it healthy. The garden faces south, but is protected from the western sun by mature oak trees next door.
What's in a name? Julie discovered that my great grandmother on my father's side of the family was Hungarian. I knew that the last name was Lavinka, but the country of origin wasn't clear. I had heard of two possibilities, Czechoslovakia and Austria. It all makes sense now, the Austro Hungarian empire would have been in existence when they were in Europe. Julie came up with the great name for the hybrid columbines. I think it's pleasing to the ear and descriptive!
Checkout the post from Feb. 2017, "Fairytale Beauty of Columbines" to see photos of the parent plants in Julie's garden.
September 2017
Lavender Lavinka in situ- They are at the edge of a Japanese Maple which gives them some protection from the elements.
Julie has bred something wonderful! I love these frilly blossoms.