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I'm back! This is the second seedlist since 2015 and my Aquilegia National Collections died from Aquilegia Downy Mildew (ADM)

Carrie Thomas

Photo by West Digital

I have selected 15 packets, the choice was impossible if I had used a pin and blindfold I would have still been happy!!' Norman Clayburn, Tyne & Wear Thank you for all the seeds over the last 2 years, I have had at least 99.9%success, that's fantastic! Mandy Walters, Dorset Thank you for what will be an Xmas present to myself, which will last years and does not need batteries. God willing will pay you a visit in the new year when your garden will be at it's best'. Andy Freeman, Herts It is as you say a wonderful plant this Aquilegia, no bother but just keeps on rewarding …and without doubt I'm truly hooked …line and sinker. On receiving the seeds, I have decided to give myself an early Easter present Andy Freeman, Herts (in December!) I think I got carried away with enthusiasm! Just a note to say a big thank you for the seeds I got from you. I have been ordering seeds from many excellent purveyors over the years, but never before have I gotten 100% germination as I did from your seeds. Keep up the good work! Ruth Bierhoff All I can say is WOW. By far my favourite flowers in the garden. They are still now flowering their socks off. And the variety is fantastic. The size of some of them is well beyond any that I have grown in the past. I keep deadheading them and they keep on flowering. Thanks so much for growing such a wide variety. No one that sees them can believe the variety, colour and size of these aquilegia flowers. Sincerly Donna Bourdage, Shropshire

SCROLL DOWN FOR  AQUILEGIA SEED-LIST

The bees have had their fun, and as all my plants are open pollinated, Aquilegias cannot to guaranteed to come true to type, Aquilegias are hardy perennials that flower the year after sowing .Aquilegia seed packets  HOW MANY SEEDS IN A PACKET? Usually 'enough'! At least 25 seeds and sometimes MANY more. If you would like to receive news about special offers, please see Facebook Carrie's Seed Lists  and to glimpse my new garden I'm delevoping here in Gorseinon see Facebook Carrie's Garden, If you want to buy plants from me,  this garden is where you'll visit.

  •  SPECIAL OFFER 2023 PRICES, CHEAPER THAN 2017 of £2.50/packet!£1.50 a packet;6 or more: £1.25/packet;    20 or more: £1.00/packet ; if you buy 5 packets, you may as well buy 6; and for anything over 12 packets, you will find 20 will offer very good value indeed!   UK Postage & Packing is £1   Ready reckoner ay bottom of page.
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    Email me * a list of seeds that you'd like, I'll check availability and confirm total costs with you.* Trouble emailing? If the link doesn't work for you put carrie.touchwood in front of @gmail.com to get my email address, else ring 01792-522443

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HINTS, easiest to browse this long table on a PC.  Looking for particular plant? It's alphabetical order... or use the 'find' dialogue box (on a PC hit ctrl &f)  

Aquilegia Mixes

Touchwood 

'All kinds of Everything' Mix


(from loads of mother plants)

 

 

 

 Anything and everything in this glorious mix!

 

Aquilegia Touchwood Elite Mix
Touchwood pinks MIX Aquilegia 'Nora Barlow'Includes palest pinks and Nora Barlow
Touchwood 'Old Special Mix' Some of last year's seeds are too good to miss. This is a mix of last year's ones that are no longer available for this year.  Yes there will be less germination, but don't worry, the packets will be at least twice as big to make up fot that!
Doubles, singles, long-spurred, golden leaved, stellatas Barlows.... all my special sorts.
 

Aquilegia Touchwood Strewing Mix

HUGE packets that you can grow by scattering directly on the ground where you wish them to flower. Includes some of last year's spare seeds. Remember, they'll take 1-2 months to germinate, be aware weedlings will also germinate!

Aquilegias at Touchwwod in nursery rows 2013

I think your website is brilliant, your passion for the plants really comes across and selections are first class. Now I've found you, I'll know where to come again in the future. Kind regards, Mike Brown, Surrey 2011 Oh, your seedlist makes me sick, I have looked through it twice already, but there is absolutely no space for more aquilegias …or is there? What an effort you put into the list! The collection list, starting of with white and getting darker and darker for example, all the text describing all the entries …Susann, Sweden'I wrote earlier that my seed sowing skill is limited 'well, I am really rather pleased. I've ended up with over 20 plants each from the pink, white and black stellata seeds. I've 15 'Green Apple' plants too. Unfortunately, I only got five 'Firewheel'plants, but that's fine because I'm sure the little devils will produce some very interesting babies none-the-less! I'm planning a new border just for my babies! Thank you so much. With very best wishes Julia Alder August 2010 Thanks for the info Julia …very good for me as the Green Apples and Firewheel ones are seeds BUY IN! so the best germination was with my own seeds …probably because they are fresher ones. And now that I know that Firewheel seeds were rather poor germinators I'll be able to put more in a packet next year. Green Apples is my own seed this year. 'You will be pleased to hear that I have supplied most of Birkerød with lovely Touchwood aquilegias. Best wishes, Lise Sonne Rasmussen, Denmark 2012

Described forms

This section starts with singles then doubles, then bicolored singles then doubles.  Further down are long-spurred ones .  Near the end you will find stellatas, including the Barlow types, then coloured leaf forms and finally my exciting DOUBLES WITH YELLOW: the Touchwood Treasures range.

Aquilegia ex white single

Aquilegia white flower

A single white, ever popular. Select seedlings without any purpley hue to the leaf stalks of the seedlings.

.AMAZING FACT: Aquilegias are also known as 'columbine' which is French for 'dove'. Can you see the 5 doves sitting in a circle having a good old natter 'tete-to-tete' (left)? 

Seed from a rather unusual white form, pictured right as flowers held at an angle.

 

 

Aquilegia ex 2219 elegant white

New for 2023

A single white, ever popular. Select seedlings without any purpley hue to the leaf stalks of the seedlings.

.AMAZING FACT: Aquilegias are also known as 'columbine' which is French for 'dove'. Can you see the 5 doves sitting in a circle having a good old natter 'tete-to-tete' (left)? 

Seed from a rather unusual white form, pictured right as flowers held at an angle.

 
What colour is pink?

How do I describe flower colours? I do the best that I can, and hope to get it right most of the time, eg that a dark pink is described the same whether it's in my front garden or the back garden! But what I call dark pink may not be what you imagine as that.     Here I have taken a photo that should help.
Starting at the BOTTOM is what I call palest pink, and going CLOCKWISE there is pale pink, pink, dark pink and finally ruby. Is that helpful?

Aquilegia: Mixed pink flowers
Aquilegia ex palest pink single Light and bright for darker corners... or anywhere!

Aquilegia Light pink single

Aquilegia: Light pink single

Quiet charm, that lights up the garden.

 

Aquilegia ex pink single

 

 

'Sugar' pink

Aquilegia ex 9 pink single spiky

 

 

This has longer petals. Actually they are sepals!

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex reddish-purple Unusual in colour with greatest amount of red in the newly opened buds.  Rather different shape to flower as well.

Aquilegia
ex Marbled blue single

 

This type of blue I call 'marbed', as white is mixed or marbled in with the blue (like a roan horse). 

Like white flowered forms, select the seedlings without any purple in the leaf stem.

Aquilegia
ex 2-tone blue single

 

Isn't this perfect?

New for 2023

Like white flowered forms, select the seedlings without any purple in the leaf stem.

What colour is blue?

How do I describe flower colours?
I do the best that I can, and hope to get it right most of the time, eg that a good blue is described the same whether it's in my front garden or the back garden! But what I call blue may not be what you imagine as that. My photos of each plant should help, but remember digital pics enhance blueness. Here I have taken a photo that should help.
Starting at the TOP LEFT is what I call blue, and then good blue (yes, those are subtle differences).
Bottom row is purple then indigo-purple. Is that helpful?

Aquilegia: Mixed blues

Aquilegia ex blue single  OUT OF STOCK

 

Sorry, pic looks purple!

Aquilegia ex 18 unusual indigo

Spreading blades. But then something chaged and different genes were expressed in later flowers... a stellata (star) form (lhs)!

Aquilegia ex elegantly held indigo

 

Photo doesn't really show its true elegance.

 

Aquilegia ex indigo variable

 

  Sometimes seems to be a usual flower perhaps with some white, then it tries to be a stellata or star form!

 

 

Aquilegiaex 2273 purple-indigo with lighter stripe

 
Unusual, isn't it?

New for 2023


 

Aquilegia ex white double

 

Aquilegia ex off-white double

 

 

 

 

Faintest hint of pink on the sepals and spurs.

Last year's seeds so double-sized packet

Aquilegia ex white double, quilled Some 'quilling' seen on the blades... they are curling up at the edges, like an old-fashioned ink pen nib.

Aquilegia ex white double, yellow tinge when young

Older flowers look white but young ones have an unusual yellowy hue.

 

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex white pleated double, hint of blue

Another slightly different version of white.

New for 2023

 

Aquilegia ex palest pink double

Good colour, strong & prolific

Aquilegia ex 2291 pale pink double

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 2260 pale pink-blue pompom

Lilacy

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex light pink double

Drat, I can't find the photo of the actual plant, but this will be similar. Aquilegia 1273 lilac pink double

Aquilegia ex 22104 pink single which then became a frilly double

...yup, that can happen! New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 2296 pink double

New for 2023.

Aquilegia ex 2230 large loose 2-tone pink double

With a slight scent

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 2295 darker pink double

 

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 2297 marbled pink-red double

Like with white forms, select seedlings without any purpley hue to the leaf stalks of the seedlings.

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex  blue double

 

 

Aquilegia ex  2267 marbled blue double

 

Like with white forms, select seedlings without any purpley hue to the leaf stalks of the seedlings.

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 7 marbled blue full double

 

Like with white forms, select seedlings without any purpley hue to the leaf stalks of the seedlings.

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex  purple Denim double

I just love these marbled blue doubles, especially these darker forms which I call denim colour. 

Like with white forms, select seedlings without any purpley hue to the leaf stalks of the seedlings.

Aquilegia ex  deep purple Denim double,

Just look how the buds change from a greeny white to this dark shade!

Like with white forms, select seedlings without any purpley hue to the leaf stalks of the seedlings.

Aquilegia ex  38 dark purple Denim double,

Like with white forms, select seedlings without any purpley hue to the leaf stalks of the seedlings.

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex  lilac double

This is an unusual shade.

Aquilegia ex 2-tone lilac double

Aquilegia ex 2-tone purple double

Frilly 2-tone double.

Aquilegia ex 2286 lilacy-blue double

.

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 2243 large 2-tone indigo double

Some scent

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex indigo double

 Lasr year's seeds so double-sized packets

 

Aquilegia ex indigo double in scented bed

 Yeah, I know, it looks more purple in this shot!

 

Now we move onto the Touchwood range of seeds from

BICOLOURED SINGLES.

Note, long-spurred sorts are later.

Aquilegia ex pink & white SM type

SM means Spring Magic, which have large flowers on short plants. However this one is full height, 1M/3' and the large flowers look really stunning, it is one of the earliest to flower and one of the latest still in bloom. I cannot praise it enough, if you only buy 1 packet of seeds, this is the one for you!

Aquilegia ex pink & white

This one doesn't open it's lovely flowers as wide as some others. Seems almost coy!

Aquilegia ex pink & white larger flower

Flowers a little later in its shady spot, and that means it flowers later as well.

Aquilegia  ex Rose & ivory SM type

Ex Spring Magic so a shorter plant and larger flowers.

Aquilegia  ex Rose & ivory SM type, but taller

Ex Spring Magic so larger flowers, but this is a taller plant.

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 2235 lilac & creamy white

From a cross between golden leaved black flowers and may other types.... so expect wonderful varability in the seedlings!

 

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 2201 blue & white SM type

Ex Spring Magic so a shorter plant and larger flowers. Seedling from Spring Magic blue & white, but offspring may be more variable. And equally delightful!

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 2212 blue & white SM type

Particularly lovely curled spurs.  Ex Spring Magic so a shorter plant and larger flowers. Seedling from Spring Magic blue & white, but offspring may be more variable. And equally delightful!

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex indigo & white bb Wondering what bb could possibly mean? It's just a shorthand for myself for Beyond the Beyond.  Part of my garden is 'Beyond the Garden', which leads to the 'Back of Beyond', and well, Beyond the Beyond is even further away! Now that's got nothing to do with the flowers there but helps me to differentiate between seeds from different plants!

Aquilegia ex Indigo & white, lovely curled spurs

Another of the Spring Magic offspring, so shorter plant.

Aquilegia ex purple & white large flower shortish

Likely to be another Spring Magic offspring.

Aquilegia ex purple & white

 

 

Aquilegia ex dark purple & white

 

Aquilegia ex purple, creamy yellow inside, largeish flower

 

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 'black' and white 

Seed from several plants, slightly different shades but all as near to black as possible.
  Now let's see my bicoloured doubles.  
Aquilegia ex 2284 pink & creamy white double  Like many creamy ones the shade matures to white.  This one also is blessed with  some scent.

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 2224 crimson & white double The flowers dace otwards and upwards, rather like the Winky sorts.

New for 2023
Aquilegia ex 41 indigo & white double Wow, just look at that. This seedling from Spring magic indigo & white started as a single but look at it now!
Aquilegia ex 2263 indigo & white  double New for 2023
Aquilegia ex indigo-purple & white double This started as a sinle flowered plant that later matured to a double. It's always worth waiting! ... and i forgot to take a pic!!!!  
Aquilegia ex 209 purple & white double A beautiful long-spurred double.

New for 2023
Aquilegia ex 2250 purple & creamy white double With some scent

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 22101 2tone purple double Expect variable offspring as the mother plant had black flowers and golden leavea and the father plant was a purple and yellow long-spurred sort!

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 2271 purple & creamy double They don't come much better than this one.

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex ex 2215 black & white frilly double As with whenever I say 'black', this is the deepest darkest crimson possible in Aquilegias.

New for 2023

     

Long spurred hybrids

LARGE flowers, LONG spurs

Below I offer some seed from some choice long-spurred hybrids.

Will they come true? I don't know, but all are likely to be desirable.
Aquilegia ex 2283 yellow long-spurred

New for 2023
Aquilegia ex 2275 yellow long-spurred A named yellow long-spurred cultivar

New for 2023
Aquilegia ex pale pink & yellow long-spurred New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 46 deep pink, and creamy long-spurred

Smaller flowered than many long-spurred, and shorter. But as delicate. This was a rescued plant! I had it for sale but then decided I would keep it!

New for 2023

 

Aquilegia ex 2213 dark pink &yellow l/s

Not strictly a long-spurred one although it contains typical colours. This is a larger flowered form of our usual granny's bonnet as it has been interbred.

I call them 'harmony' types.

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex dark pink, yellow inside long-spurred

This flowered near my gate and always attracted lots of comments.

Last year's seeds so double-sized packets

Aquilegia ex dark pink-red & yellow long-spurred

 

Last year's seeds so double-sized packets

Aquilegia ex rose & yellow long-spurred

Last year's seeds so double-sized packets

Aquilegia ex red & yellow rescued

Rescued? Yup, another one that I had it on my sales table for £6.50 in 2021, and as no-one bought it quickly enough I decided I'd not live without it and rescued it for myself!

 

Last year's seeds so double-sized packets

 

Aquilegia ex 2217 red, yellow inside mid-sized long-spurred

The yellow is on the inside of the cup of petals, you can see the outside of the petal is red!

New for 2023

 

 

 

Aquilegia ex 2298 red, yellow inside smallish long-spurred

Great colour combination. This became a lovely big plant in its first year and just flowered and flowered for weeks and weeks!

New for 2023

 

Aquilegia ex 2299 red, yellow inside  long-spurred

Another dramatic beauty.

New for 2023

 

Aquilegia ex 2272 red & yellow long-spurred

 

New for 2023

 

Aquilegia ex 22111 dark red & yellow long-spurred

 

New for 2023

 

Aquilegia ex 2220 orangy &yellow  long-spurred

Delicate and unusual colouring.

New for 2023

 

Aquilegia ex 2214 lilac & yellow  long-spurred

Thia is a short plant, I have mine in my rock garden.

New for 2023

 

Aquilegia ex 2221 navy & white smaller long-spurred

Evidently a hybrid, so one of my 'Harmony' sorts.

New for 2023

 

Aquilegia ex purple, creamy yellow inside
Last year's seeds so double-sized packets
Aquilegia ex early purple & yellow long-spurred What a great start to the aquilegia season when this beauty flowers.


Last year's seeds so it should be a double-sized packet, however only 35 seeds now left... but perhaps someone wants a chance at this beauty!
Aquilegia ex orangy & yellow long-spurred
A few from species Aquilegias ... or their hybrids
     
Aquilegia ex ecalcarata hybrid Seed from this pink, spurred, double. These are small plants, rock garden sized.

New for 2023
Aquilegia ex coerulea The Rocky Mountain columbine... oh how I'd love to see this growing en masse in the wild!

New for 2023
Aquilegia ex 'William Guiness' Closest to 'black' and white. 'Magpie' is the same or similar.
Darker than it looks here.

New for 2023
   

Now let's look at the  Aquilegia vulgaris f. stellata or star forms.

Also known as clematis-flowered, which is what I'll use for not-all-vulgaris-genes ones

Aquilegia ex 19 stellata white

 

Stellata form, white. One of the unusual star or clematis-flowered forms. Do grow them in your garden and amaze your friends. 'Can those REALLY be aquilegias??!!' YES!!!

Aquilegia ex 2234 stellata white

 

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex stellata white with a hint of pink

 

Aquilegia ex 26 stellata  stonewashed pink

 How on earth do I despribe this colouring.... then I had an inspiration, would you agree, a very washed out stonewash pink?

Aquilegia ex  indigo stellata 

 Pleased to be able to add this lovely form.

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 22108 white Barlow type

Now we move on to the full double forms of stellatas, known as the Barlow range.

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 'Lime Sorbet'

Last year's seeds so double-sized packets

 

Aquilegia ex 2237 Rose Barlow sort,

I love this but unless I got the labels mixed up, the mother plant was a creamy yellow double!

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 'Nora Barlow' Aquilegia 'Nora Barlow'

Unusual Barlow double where each 'petal' shades from deep old-rose-pink through cream to the green tips.

Originally known as the  rose columbine.

An old, beautifully and regularly formed variety. People ask can 'Nora Barlow' really be an aquilegia?

Select seedlings with no purple in the stems.

 

Aquilegia 'Nora Barlow'
Aquilegia ex 'Christa Barlow' Select seedlings with no purple in the stems.

The final sorts in this section are the ones with golden or variegated leaves.

Aquilegia ex 'Sonia's Silver'

EXCLUSIVE NEW INTRODUCTION in 2021: AQUILEGIA 'SONIA'S SILVER. Extraordinarily rare, seed of this plant was gifted to me by another aquilegia fan in 2019.

Variegated leaf, but with a difference! Variegated Aquilegias have golden variegations, but not this one, it has white or silver! I cannot stress enough that this is a new colour break in granny's bonnets, I've only known the silvering in a tiny species aquilegia, which proved difficult for me to grow. Not like this beauty, easy-peasy, with healthy robust growth. Indigo flowers top these strong plants. ps, don't be disappointed upon germination if your baby seedlings are all green-leaved, the white variegation doesn't show until after winter! (Just like variegated tree mallows and honesty). I found that a few plants will remain green-leaved in spring (possibly a quarter), but they are still good garden plants.

This beautiful, groundbreaking new variant has been named by the originator as Aquilegia 'Sonia's Silver'. Will you be one of the first few to grow this plant? You won't regret it.






Aquilegia  ex  gold leaf 'black' single This is an absolutely stunning plants with its bright golden leaves which set off the almost-black flowers perfectly. Select golden-leaved seedlings as they germinate.

Cross-pollination in brief shown here near the beginning.

Touchwood Aquilegias on TV

NOW SOME REAL EXCITEMENT!  I have cross-pollinated the above plant with other specials from my garden. A few of the crosses have given me enough seed to share, just 15 SEEDS PER PACKET.  Note the gold leaf trait is probably recessive, so don't worry if no seedlings have golden leaves (in this f1 generation), however if you then cross-pollinate your seedlings when they flower then the seeds (f2 generation) should show some golden leaved forms.

Don't know how to
cross-pollinate?
I'm happy to show you.

Aquilegia  ex SPECIAL gold leaf, black double

 

Special??? Yes... this was a cross I made with 'Golden Guiness' double form, which has 'black' and white double flowers. Therefore I expect that you will get some of those sorts coming out in the seedlings you grow, as well as more black double sorts (again the flowers are darker than pic was able to capture!).

 

New for 2023

Aquilegia  ex 2231 gold leaf  pink flower

Pretty.

New for 2023


Aquilegia  ex gold leaf 'indigo flower

Drat... somehow I never took a photo... so like below in colour and above in style!

New for 2023

 

 

Aquilegia  ex 2242 gold leaf indigo double

Looking good with its golden leaves.

New for 2023

Aquilegia  ex 2246 'gold leaf dark indigo

 

 

New for 2023

 

Carrie, Just a quick note to let you know that I received my seed order last week and promptly got them stratified this past weekend. Thanks again for offering these seeds and dealing with my order in a prompt and efficient manner. I look forward to seeing the outcome of this purchase in 2011. Best regards, Jonathan Thompson, Canada 'Dear Carrie, you have done it again. You have infected me with the severest form of aquilegia fever. Here is my order for this year. A. Volkenborn, Germany. 'Coming to your website is always a feast for the eyes especially right now in the dead of winter. Blessings and thanks,'Maureen Smith, Ontario, Canada 'A big thank you for the wonderful aquilegias that we have in our garden now following the acquisition of your seeds last year. They are quite splendid and thriving in spite of the weather and the North Yorkshire climate. Kindest regards, Mike Holden. 2012 I was so overwhelmed by those exciting aquilegias you sell, that I ordered almost all just double ones. However I overlooked those more elegant ones, singles and maybe fragrants as well. I felt very sad, because I thought that I had to wait another year to make a new order. And then to wait another year to see them in bloom. That's much too long. So I decided to make another order this year. ;-) Reinhard Oberleitner, Austria

Touchwood Treasures...

Very special golden and golden bicoloured doubles.

I'm breeding double forms with yellow in, I don't think you're yet likely to see anything else like them! However, if you DO know of others, please let me know, I want to increase my gene bank as much as possible.

Aquilegia ex 2256 pale yellow double Delicately coloured.

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 2259 yellow double

 

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 2227 yellow double

Some bronzing on the sepals and spurs.

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 2285 dark pink & yellow double



New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 2239 dark pink & yellow double

Slight scent. May have gold leaf genes.

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 42 scarlet & yellow double

Looks like this contains Aquilegia formosa genes.

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 22110 orangey & yellow double

 

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 2247 orangey & yellow double

 

 

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 1 orange & yellow double

 

Could be a tall plant.

Aquilegia ex 3 orange  & yellow double 

 

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 2258 dark crimson & yellow double

 

New for 2023

Aquilegia ex 44 ruby & apricotty double 

 New for 2023

 

Aquilegia ex36 dark purple & yellow double 

 New for 2023

 

Aquilegia ex 35 red & yellow double 

 

Seedling from red & yellow double, VIP, above

 Last year's seeds so double-sized packets

Aquilegia ex large beautiful blue & creamy white double

 

Isn't that beautiful? Is it large too? Here it is with an ordinary-sized indigo single flower.

 

 Last year's seeds so double-sized packets

Aquilegia ex  lovely purple & light yellow double

 

Early flowers were all single long-spurred but later flowers this lovely double. Offspring are good, too, as you can see below.

 Last year's seeds so double-sized packets

Aquilegia ex purple & yellow double, short

 

A seedling from above lovely purple and light yellow double.

Last year's seeds so double-sized packets

Aquilegia ex purple & yellow double

 

may be tall. 

Last year's seeds so double-sized packets

 

 

Check back next year... who knows what I'll have then!

Meanwhile enjoy sowing your seeds and having the miracle of germination and then the joy of discovering what secret beauty was hidden within those seeds for you to enjoy each year after year.

 
Dear Carrie, Please could I thank you for the seeds that you sent me last year. The germination rate was exceptional, much better than some of the larger commercial seed merchants.I have been most impressed with the Stellata mix. Although a simple flower, the range of colours has been tremendous. Out of all the aquilegias these seem to arouse the visitors curiosity more than any other, although all the others that you sent me are just as beautiful. What I am finding most interesting is the fact that I am finding two types of flower on many plants i.e Doubles with pom poms, doubles with stellata. Every day is an adventure in the garden, just when you think you have seen them all, you find another one even more striking hidden away. Once again many thanks for the enjoyment you have given me with your seeds. Yours Very Sincerely, Jim Forshaw, Lancashire May 2008 Such an appealing flower. I remember the first time I noticed a columbine when I started gardening. I was enchanted with this mystery plant. I didn't want to know it's name because I was afraid it would lose it's allure. It has lost the mystery but I love it even more. Valerie Gillman Michigan USA They are normally thought of being short-lived I can assure you of this: there's one old, propably a Vulgaris cultivar growing in my garden in the same place, and it's the same root, not off-sets, for about 45 years! Planted by my late mother, I have a picture of me with mother beside the Aquilegia when I was about 4-5 years old and it's still there, same place flowering each year. Reijo Sodergren, Finland How will you know if you've arrived in Heaven? You will suddenly be walking through endless fields of Aquilegias! :-) Aidan Tagg, Worcs

10 of the best for £10    Leave the choice to me and get 10 packets of aquilegia seeds for £10 INCLUDING UK POST & PACKING  Your selection will likely include at least one packet of: mix, a stellata form and several different doubles. 10 packets of YOUR OWN CHOICE would normally be £13.50 including postage. Also available for non-aquilegias.

Last year's seeds  Let me choose from all my left over last year's seeds, and go for: LUCKY FIVE £2.50 A lucky dip of 5 packs of last year's seeds TERRIFIC TWENTY £8 or FANTASTIC FORTY £12  Strictly my choice, but I won't include anything that you order at the same time, & you can choose categories you want/don't want from: annuals, biennials, perennials, trees and shrubs, alpines, bulbs, vegetables, climbers, herbs, Aquilegias, Geraniums YES, you can have JUST AQUILEGIAS if you ask. There's postage costs, and you can order this years seeds at the same time.

Requesting your help about names

As you may be aware there is great confusion in the names of Aquilegia cultivars, and as a collection holder I certainly don't wish to add to the problem! One major reason is that Aquilegias from seed may not come 'true'; due both to promiscuous bees but also due to recessive genes (so a plant 'looks' right (eg double blue & white) but has hidden genes (eg for singles, pink, white and 'not bicoloured'!).
Therefore, PLEASE do not name the plant until it has flowered and looks 'true' to its description.
MIXES: Resulting plants should not be labelled, for example, 'Touchwood Eventide' or even 'Eventide' as they will be a total mix, of some recognisable named cultivars together with un-named forms.

   The bees have had their fun, and as all my plants are open pollinated, Aquilegias cannot to guaranteed to come true to type, I select seed from the correct seed parent, but do not know what pollen fertilised it. Nevertheless, I've never seen a 'bad' aquilegia! In a way with my aquilegia seeds you are buying the amazing Touchwood gene pool as much as any particular cultivar.Often, I may only have a few packets of seed of a certain type. I don't say which are in short supply because, magically, everyone suddenly must have that plant! So please give plenty of alternatives, or ring / e-mail for availability. Aquilegias are hardy perennials that flower the year after sowing
HOW MANY SEEDS IN A PACKET? Usually 'enough'! At least 25 seeds and sometimes MANY more. As a general rule, don't expect many more than 25 seeds in the Touchwood Treasures selection of aquilegias, whereas many of the mixes are very generous, as well as the single-coloured single flowered sorts. 'Your seeds from last spring germinated at 90-95% France'  Photographs are great, but COLOURS aren't always perfect. Understand that ordinary photos tend to make blues look more purple and digital photos make the blues look clearer! So please use the photos with this in mind and take the written description as more realistic. However, MOST of the photos are taken of the actual plant from which the seed was harvested …that's good, isn't it?     New for 20xx means new this year, either for the first time or after a time of unavailability on the seedlist
    • SPECIAL OFFER 2022 PRICES, CHEAPER THAN 2017 of £2.50/packet!£1.50 a packet;6 or more: £1.25/packet;    20 or more: £1.00/packet ; 
    •  UK Postage & Packing is £1  NO AQUILEGIA SEED WILL BE SENT OUTSIDE THE UK
    • READY RECKONER:
    • 1 packet=£1.50,
    • 2=£3,
    • 3=£4.50,
    • 4=£6,
    • 5=£7.50,
    • 6=£7.50,
    • 7=£8.75,
    • 8=£10,
    • 9=£11.25,
    • 10=£12.50,
    • 11=£13.75,
    • 12=£15,
    • 13=£16.25,
    • 14=£17.50,
    • 15=£18.25,
    • 16=£20,
    • 17=£20,
    • 18=20,
    • 19=£20,
    • 20=£20,
    • 21=£21,
    • 22=£22,
    • 23=£23, et cetera!  So …if you buy 5 packets, you may as well buy 6; and for anything over 12 packets, you will find 20 will offer very good value indeed! I always get proof of posting so that we can claim in the event of non-delivery. If you want signed-for delivery, it will cost whatever the rate is.
    •  
TO ORDER:
Email me * a list of seeds that you'd like, I'll check availability and confirm total costs with you.

PLEASE order in the order that the seeds appear in these lists, if possible, as it halves the time in preparing your order, and means I can find the seeds! Thanks.

*Trouble emailing? Some systems aren't compatible with this link. If so, send in your email system by putting carrie.touchwood in front of @gmail.com to get my email address, else ring 01792-522443.

PAYMENT can be by cheque, payable to 'Touchwood Plants'.  SORRY NO CHEQUES AS I'M SHEILDING WITH COVID. Instead, besides cash I can only do direct bank transfer, I'll send details after I have your wish list, agreed availability and price and packeted your seeds.If you would like to receive news about special offers, please see Facebook Carrie's Seed Lists  and to glimpse my new garden I'm delevoping here in Gorseinon see Facebook Carrie's Garden, If you want to buy plants from me,  this garden is where you'll visit.

OVERSEAS I am pleased to post ANYWHERE in the world. However, please will you check (online search for your customs) that what you order is ALLOWED by your customs, otherwise the seeds may be seized & destroyed. I cannot check each and every nation's rules myself, so I must leave it as your responsibility, as you will be the one who loses out if anything doesn't get through. It is easy to check that you comply rather than shed tears at any losses. For my part, I am willing to do any extra work necessary for your customs' requirements, and not charge you anything extra. eg, Norway ONLY allows 50 packets of seeds in at a time. Info about US is really good at NARGS    NOTE NO OVERSEAS AT THE MOMENT DUE TO COVID

GUARANTEE I fully expect you to enjoy a good germination from my seeds. If that is not the case, please let me know, for either information and advice, replacement seed or a credit note. But when you do get good results …please tell your friends and let them benefit from good seed of cottage garden, rare and unusual plants at a brilliant price!!

Touchwood seeds: fully automated seed packeting system
Pouring Touchwood Aquilegia seedsCounting Touchwood Aquilegia seedsPacking Touchwood Aquilegia seeds

Stop Press November 2011:
training sessions of the next generation of machines commence

Touchwood's seed is grown,
harvested & packeted here in Wales
Welsh flag

Seeds arrived quickly and in good condition. Thank you The aquilegia seeds I bought from you at Gardeners' World Live last year are now coming up in seed trays in my green house, and as I am relatively new to gardening it's very exciting! Everything is looking amazing, plants out and growing madly, seeds up and on the go--just fabulous thank you Congratulations on an outstanding catalogue - your seeds have superb germination. I find only Plant World comes near to you! This year my seeds germinated so well that I may end up digging up part of my lawn! Ian Miller, Galashiels Venditrice precisa e veloce. Ottima transazione!!! Immer wieder gerne. Super gelaufen! Alles super gelaufen. Danke Bin sehr zufrieden! Danke f'r die Zugabe The seeds you sent me earlier have all germinated. I shall have some to give away. Thanks, I shall recommend you to all my friends. Jan Etchells