I admit I have a problem. Okay, it's more than a problem, it's a compulsion; I must have Rue Anemones a/k/a Anemonella thalictroides a/k/a Thalictrum thalictroides. I fell in love with these plants after I saw them blooming in Trout Park in the late '80s. These native wildflowers thrive in partial shade, so I could not grow them until I moved to Squirrelhaven exactly 15 years ago. This was one of the first plants I put into my new garden.
I got my first Anemonella, the standard white, from The Planter's Palette, in Winfield, Illinois.
I loved how delicate the flowers looked and how airy the foliage, which starts off red and ends up green.
It didn't matter that the foliage had disappeared by late summer, as the 2 1/2 month blooming time more than made up for it.
I couldn't help myself, I needed more. So I bought what I thought was the basic white from a native plant sale. It turned out to be A. rosea. Now I was truly hooked. Pink Anemonellas!
Then I learned that there were double Anemonellas. I yearned for them for years, until I finally got three A. 'Betty Blake.' (Actually, I think this is a seedling of 'Cameo.' I got it from Arrowhead Alpines.)
The flowers of this Anemonella are somewhat smaller than the single Anemonella.
Still, it is a thing of rare beauty. Am I satisfied? Absolutely not! I must have A. 'Oscar Shoaf,' a darker pink double. I have no idea if the flowers are as large as the single, nor do I care. Someday, I will have it. Then will I be satisfied? Only time will tell.
(Edited 5/8/08)