Do you mean western columbine?
Mine are still going very strong, lots of new buds and its been 100 here past few days. Mine last all summer but only get morning sun.

I do think the cooler weather up there has possible extended their season, but shouldn't have been dieing off already anyway.

Aquilegia hybrids, COLUMBINES, technically are perennials. They really don't like our hot dry summers here in California so we treat them as cool-season annuals.

But occasionally, when conditions are right, they linger on or rebound.

Lucky you.

Joe

Whatever it was, the plant just fell apart a couple weeks ago... basically dried up and looked done for the season. I had been trimming the spent flowers to extend the life of the flowering period, but mine are in a container which might account for the difference(?).

The odd part was the new flush of growth from the base of the plant... maybe it's commonplace but I had never seen it before.

If it's still growing then I might try and squeeze in a repot in the next few weeks.

Thanks.

Well perhaps it all drying up it had energy to put out new growth.
If you let the spent flowers go to seed before deadheading they will come up next year.
By September mine start to die off but come back every spring and this year I have several new plants/volunteers from the seeds.

I've had one come back for 7 years now. If you find the right spot, somewhere the soil is heavily shaded in winter, you might have a chance.

They've always been perennial for me in San Jose. I cut the flower stalk off when it's done, and they will grow new basal foliage and give me a second bloom, although not as showy as the first bloom. Or...you can let them go to seed and get new plants next season. They reseed easily, although if you have mixed colors, you may end up with "muddy" colors.

wanda