Campanula, also known as bellflower, is a genre of plants that includes biennials and perennials with bell-shaped flowers.
Start campanula seeds indoors 8 weeks before the last frost date. Sow on the surface. Full sun to part shade. Some species require cold-moist stratification .
Campanula medium is an old-fashioned biennial that blooms in early summer with large, bell-shaped flowers in shades of pink, purple and white. Great for cutting . This heirloom flower has been loved by many generations of gardeners.
Campanula medium blooms the second year. After flowering, pull up the plants and shake them to sow the seeds for next year. Hardy in zones 5-8.
Campanula persicifolia 'Telham Beauty' blooms in early summer with beautiful, china-blue flowers. This slowly-spreading perennial can be divided every 2-3 years, if desired. It also self sows.
Campanula 'Telham Beauty' is a lovely companion plant for roses . It combines beautifully with dianthus , foxglove and poppies . Hardy in zones 3-8.
Campanula persicifolia 'Alba' is the white-flowered form of peach-leaved bellflower. It blooms in June with clusters of pure white flowers on tall stems. It's nice for cutting, and it looks good with practically everything in the garden.
Campanula persicifolia is a mainstay of the perennial garden. Hardy perennial in zones 3-8.
Campanula glomerata 'Superba' is a reliable, spreading perennial that blooms in early summer. The stems are topped with dense clusters of rich violet-blue, bell-shaped flowers. It may repeat bloom if cut back after the first flush is over.
Campanula glomerata 'Superba' goes well with other flowers in the garden or the vase. Shown here with California poppy . Hardy in zones 3-8.
Campanula latifolia 'Amethyst' blooms in June with large, violet-blue bells on tall stems. This bellflower is easy to grow, and it blooms the first year from seed. It's a long-lived, shade-tolerant perennial.
Campanula 'Amethyst' is a nice companion plant for roses. I like to combine it with Digitalis lutea and Dianthus carthusianorum . Hardy in zones 3-9.
Campanula rotundifolia is a beautiful wildflower with violet-blue, bell-shaped flowers from June to September. The short, spreading plants looks lovely in the border, rock garden or wildflower garden. I plant them around the base of roses.
Campanula rotundifolia is drought tolerant , and it self-sows in moderation. The seeds require 5 weeks cold-moist stratification. Hardy in zones 3-9.
Campanula carpatica is a gem for the partly-shaded rock garden or woodland garden. It blooms in mid summer with lavender-blue, cup-shaped flowers over low mounds of foliage.
I like this wild strain of Campanula carpatica better than the "improved" varieties because the flowers look graceful on taller stems. Hardy in zones 3-8.