Sow it now, Milliemills - seed's always best sown fresh and I've had really poor germination in the past from saved aquilegia seed that was sown in the spring.
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Thanks Beattie - I'm off to the greenhouse then, spent far too long looking at pictures on this site rather than getting on! So much to do.....

I don't think it needs greenhouse protection. As you have plenty of seed from your own plants you could try sprinkling some where you want it to grow, some in pots outside and some in the greenhouse and see which works best. Nowadays I just shake the opened seed heads over where I want the plants & it seems to work.....

Hi Beattie - thanks, thats a good idea. Do you know what I would do with crocosmia that I've lifted today - should I plant them as they are and chop of the leaves or should I chop of the leaves and plant next spring?

Aquilegia are part of the Ranunculacea family and the seeds of all of them are best sown as soon as possible, even when still green in some cases. The other plant in the family often grown in the garden is Pulsatilla.

Same answer with crocosmia, Millie! :-) They'll have a much reduced chance of growing if you leave them somewhere to dry out til next spring. As they're irrepressible some would probably still grow, but if you're sure you want to move them just stick them in the ground where you want them to grow and water them. As they're virtually unkillable I wouldn't chop the leaves off - and you'll probably find that the cormlets left behind where they were breathe a sigh of relief and spring into vigorous growth as well.

Personally I hate them and would incinerate the lot, but it's a good job we're not all the same....

(I only hate them as they're what I think of as a "bad-mannered" plant that is impossible to get rid of once it's got its foot in the door - and that really applies to montbretia, the nasty little common cousin of well-bred, garden-worthy Crocosmia.)

Yeah its best when you think the seeds are ready to pick then spread them yourself somewhere you want them, left alone theres no nook & cranny they wont germinate from, when i do my weekly weed patrol on my border half of what i pull out are aquilegia/poppy and lupin, i guess ive only got myself to blame for letting them self seed, ive learned the hard way. ;)

wow, thank you all for your responses - this is very comforting and motivating.....blimey Beattie, you really don't like montbretia then?! I'm not sure of the difference between crocosmia and montbretia - the one that I'm replanting bits of is the more floppy leaved one with orange flowers rather than the more upright one with bright red flowers.....

The shorter one with orangey flowers is Montbretia. Need I say more?! ;-)

Montbretia- no need to lift it unless you are throwing it away. It needs no special care at all except keeping in check. Just hoik out what you don't want when it starts to grow in the Spring. Aquiligias self sow in my garden. Don't be surprised if they don't come the same as the parent plant though - they do tend to revert to the blue ones, or the small dark red one.