Campanulas - Plant of the Week

Many gardeners love searching for those plants which soldier on no matter what. Agapanthus and hydrangea fit into this no-fuss category as does the lesser known Serbian bellflower (Campanula poscharskyana), a ground cover plant.

Details

Botanical name: Campanula poscharskyana. The genus name Campanula is Latin for 'little bell', which refers to the shape of the flower. Several campanulas are known as ladybell because of the association with the colour of the robes of the Virgin Mary. The species name, poscharskyana, was named to honour Gustav Poscharsky (1832-1914), who was a city gardener at Dresden.

Common name: Serbian bellflower

Other species: Campanulas are native to the northern hemisphere where there are more than 250 species. They are mostly perennials but some are annuals and biennials. The genus includes the much loved cottage garden campanula, Canterbury bells (C. medium). The many forms of campanula range from ground covers to plants with tall flower spires. Campanulas can be useful in rockeries, cottage gardens, borders, wild gardens and hanging baskets.

Description: This spreading ground cover has star-shaped, mauve blue flowers. It is a low mound-forming plant no more than 30cm (12") tall, which will spread easily by runners to cover an ever increasing area as it grows. As well as the usual mauve-blue flowers there are also cultivars with pale blue ('E.K. Toogood'), pink-mauve ('Lizduggan Variety') or white flowers.

Best climate: This campanula will grow in all but the really humid and tropical parts of Australia and the dry inland.

 

Uses: Its main value in the garden is as a ground cover plant where it can be used in gardens or to trail over banks and walls.

Good points:

a low, spreading ground cover plant.
flowers over many months from spring to autumn at times making a sea of blue.
drought and heat hardy, fast growing and easily maintained.

Likes:

some shade but will grow in sun. Flower colour may be less vibrant in full sun.
rich, well-drained soils. Many campanulas benefit by the addition of lime to the soil.

Care:

pinch off spent flowers to encourage continual blooming (this is not practical over a large area).
keep soil moist during hot or dry weather.

Dislikes: Very few dislikes although slugs and snails are its worst enemies.

Getting started:

Grow your own: divide or transplant an existing clump at any time but best in spring or autumn. Although this plant will eventually spread, planting four to five plants in an area of 1 metre square (3x3') will give quick coverage.

Availability: Campanulas range in price from $3 to $4 for a 10cm (4") pot. Look in the ground cover section of your local nursery for Campanula poscharskyana or contact Lambley Nursery for plants by mail, including coloured forms such as 'E.K. Toogood' and 'Lizduggan Variety':

Lambley Nursery
'Burnside'
Lesters Road
Ascot Victoria 3364
Phone: (03) 5343 4303 Fax: (03) 5343 4257
(Nursery opening times in spring, summer and autumn are 10am-5pm daily and winter visits are by appointment. Phone for a mail-order catalogue.)

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