168 



HOETICULTUEE 



August 5, 1916 



Campanulas 



No genus of plants has been more useful in horticul- 

 ture than the Campanulas, nor, in fact, are there many 

 genera more universally distributed, there being some 

 240 species, and poor indeed is the garden that lacks at 

 least one member of the beautiful Bell Flowers. 



Glancing through the catalogues of the American 

 nurserymen we note that there is a surprising lack of 

 the most desirable varieties. Seedsmen quote quite a 

 number which the nurserymen fail to list, but all to- 

 gether the material to be had in this country is very 

 meager. 



In mentioning the various species and their varieties 

 we think first of those which are suitable for the flower 

 garden proper. For such a situation C. glomerata is a 

 very useful plant growing from 1 to 2 feet in lieight 

 with beautiful blue flowers borne in terminal heads. C. 

 macrostyla, dull purple, tlie largest-styled of the Bell- 

 flowers is an annual, attaining a height of about 18 

 inches. In C. Medium, the Canterbury Bells, we have a 

 moderately tall species, biennial, and bearing numerous 

 campanulate pui-ple flowers. There are unmerous hy- 

 lirids, even more valuable than the type and bearing 

 white, blue and pink flowers. The variety calycanthoma, 

 "Cup and Saucers Bellflower,'" is perhaps one of the best. 

 There is a variety, C. Medium Wiegandii with yellow 

 foliage and blue flowers wliicli makes a striking coiitiiist, 

 but this is more of a plant for the "curiosity garden." 

 The species and its varieties may be propagated from 

 seed sown in the open ground in early summer. Planis 

 started in flats inside, in early March and trnnsjjlanted 

 to permanent locations in May will flower the first year, 

 and may thus be used as annuals, '['he number and 

 quality of the flowers will not he a s<rood, however, as 

 in the second year. Plants dug in before the first frost, 

 and potted make fine house plants for the autumn, niid 

 may even be carried over to liloom the next spring. 



Campanula isophylhi is a very dwarf species, and suit- 

 able for use only near the front of an herbaceous border. 

 The pale blue flowers arc often an inch or more across 

 and make a wonderful showing in sun or partial shade. 

 There is a white form, all)a, which is very free-flower- 

 ing, and also a soft and wooiy-leaved varietv, known as 

 C. Mayii. C. isophylla is equally good in tlie rock gar- 

 den, hanging basket, or window box. . 



The majority of Campanulas are 

 most suitable for rock work, among 

 which might be mentioned C. Alli- 

 oni, a perennial with nodding purple 

 flowers, about an inch across, one 

 to a stem. Here and there wall l)i' 

 found a white one. There appears 

 to be no hybrid of this species. G. 

 pulla, one of the handsomest of 

 rock plants, is a .showy perennial 

 with flowers of deep rich violet, in 

 such numbers as to completely hide 

 the foliage. A variety, pulloides, is 

 even finer with flowers of glistening 

 violet. It is supposed to be a hybrid 

 between C. pulla and C. tnrbinata, 

 but has kept the habit of the former. 

 Another very dwarf species is C. 

 jnisilla, with small blue flowers, very 

 freely produced. There is a white 

 form, alba, and a greyish blue one 

 called Miss Willmott which i& prob- 

 ably the finest colored of all tb(> 

 Campanula.s. No finer plant coulij 



be grown in American gardens yet how few nursery- 

 men list it. 



Campanula carpatica, the well known Carpathian 

 Harebell, should not be omitted in any garden. Among 

 its hybrids may be mentioned alba, white; Chad Valley 

 Gem, light blue China-cup, very pale blue; Isabel, rich 

 purple, salver-shaped flowers of striking effect; Wliite 

 Star, very large pure white star shaped flowers; Tur- 

 binata, above mentioned, itself a desirable plant 6 in. in 

 height with open rich blue flowers, while its variety pal- 

 lida is a great improvement with flowers of delicate pale 

 1/lue color. 



Campanula garganica, blue with white centre is very 

 effective massed in rockeries. Of this there are alba, 

 white : and hirsuta, paler flowered, of trailing habit. 

 Campanula 6. F. Wilson, a hybrid between C. pulla and 

 C. carpatica has proved its merit as a rock plant. It 

 bears a profusion of violet blue flowers similar to C. 

 pulla. Portenschlagiana is one of the best tufted 

 s])ecies, with lt)ng racemes of blue purple flowers. Its 

 variety bavarica is a larger and finer plant. Both are 

 excellent subjects for a wall garden, although their 

 hardiness is questionable in parts of this country. 



For the wild garden one of the first plants is C. 

 lactiflora, perennial. ;! ft., with delicate pale blue, or 

 niilk-wliite floweis. ('. alliariaefolia is equally good for 

 the wild garden, witii noddijig white flowei-s, giving a 

 s]>leiulid effect massed in colonies amongst other foliage. 

 C. persici folia is very fine for cutting and some of its 

 varieties give as nnicli as two oi- tliree feet of flower 

 Among the most dcsirabli' nrc •'Coupe d'Azure" with 

 large semi-doidile lavenfh'i- blue flowers on stiff stems 

 freely produced. (Jraiuliflora is ii good white and Hum- 

 osa a distinct dnubjc lavender which lasts a long time 

 when cut. M<ici'hi'inii is one nf the finest semi-ildiibli' 

 whites. 



Campanula pyraniidalis, thi' Cbinmey Bell Flower 

 makes one of the best pot plants as well as being suit- 

 able for the garden and shadier ]iortions of the wild gar- 

 den. It bears spikes of blue or white flowers in great 

 profusion to a height of from three to five feet, or more. 



We list below some of the most desirable varieties ac- 

 cording to use, hoping that those whicli are named will 

 suggest others which have l)eeii omitted. Of course it 

 is possible that some of the plants are useful in more 



VISITORS AT THE CORNELL ROSE TEST GARDENS 



.V SllMl.sliol liy KiihcTt I'yic 



Left to Right: Joseph Heacock, L. B. Pleroe. S. S. rennock. Prof. A. C. Beal, Mrs. Eugene 

 Ely, Prof. F. L. Multord, Prof. E. A. White, BenJ. Hammond. 



