42 STUDIES IN GARDENING 



It can be easily raised from seed. C. barbata is no 

 doubt the most beautiful of all these intermediate 

 campanulas, perhaps, the most beautiful of all cam- 

 panulas. Unfortunately, it is rather capricious, grow- 

 ing freely and increasing by self-sown seedlings in 

 some places and dwindling away without flowering 

 in others. In Switzerland it is a plant of the Alpine 

 pastures, and more often than not a biennial. It 

 seems to do best in light, rich soil, in a fairly sunny, 

 well-drained place, where the ground is carpeted with 

 other low-growing plants. It can be easily raised 

 from seed, and its beauty is such that no pains should 

 be spared to make it thrive. 



There are a great many mountain campanulas, 

 some very easy to grow and some difficult, but nearly 

 all both interesting and beautiful plants for the rock 

 garden. The best known of these are C. caespitosa and 

 C. pusilla (or pumila) which may for garden purposes 

 be regarded as the same plant. C. caespitosa is a 

 little harebell only a few inches high, which will 

 grow in a border in light, rich, well-drained soil, but 

 which looks its best and lives longest in long, deep, 

 and narrow pockets in the rock garden. In such 

 places it will thrive in full sun and poor soil, throw- 

 ing out runners wherever it can find space and grow- 

 ing into a plant a foot or more long. The blue flowers 

 vary a good deal in the depth of their colour, and 

 there is a white variety. C. caespitosa can, like all 

 or nearly all the rock campanulas, be increased by 

 cuttings taken when they are just starting into growth 



