Eagles or Doves? Aquilegia is a really common and splendid sight at the moment on roadside verges.
Originally a wild flower, there are also many cultivated varieties in gardens and many of these have escaped back into the wild leading to a confusing picture!
![](https://visitnewmills.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/aqua1.jpg)
Original wild varieties are deep blue but can also be pink or white. The name possibly derives from the Latin for eagle with the petals supposedly resembling an eagle’s claws…but I prefer the other name for these flowers – columbine from the latin for dove. The petals really do like a group of doves especially in the white variety.
Finally they are also called Granny’s bonnet- again not too difficult to see why.