Yes, columbine seedlings and possibly a hackberry. I use aqualegia canadensis in matrix style plantings with no mulch. Honestly, I'm trying to use as little mulch as possible because spreading it is a chore.

Thanks Cecily! I assumed the seeds sprouted after winter. Nice to know I’ll have some more next year

Green with envy here, Dee! My columbines do seed around, but not in the magnificent way yours have. Guess I'll deliberately scatter more seed this fall. Thanks for sharing your beauties!

Oh -- do yours get leaf miners (and what do you do about that)? =)

Mine get leaf miners and I ignore them.

Thanks roxanna. I should point out that these photos were taken after a few years of letting them go to seed, so it did take a bit of time. I actually wasn't planning this effect, I just never had time to get to cutting things back. My favorite patch is that first photo of the mixed pinks and purples. Which is problematic because it's smack in the middle of my red/yellow/orange bed haha!

Luckily I don't have many other early bloomers in that bed so there's not too much clashing, and I have been trying to move those columbines to other spots. Both by physically moving the plants and (if I have the time) by cutting the stalks when ripe and shaking the seeds elsewhere.

Like cecily, I too get leaf miners and I too ignore them!

:)

Dee

Thanks Dee ! Leaf mulch is a great idea I’ll grab some this week !