ArorST 10, 1912. 



THE GARDENERS* MAGAZINE. 



615 



CAMPANULAS FOR THE 

 HERBACEOUS BORDER. 



The list of campanulas suitable for the 

 her^baceous )border is aa extensive one. 

 The various species and varieties make up 

 a group of plants which cannot very well 

 be dispensed with. The flowers are also 

 highly appreciated for cutting, as the ma- 

 jority of them last well dn a cut state. 



Although by no means fastidious regard- 

 ing soil and situation, the majority of 

 campanulas delight in a oool root run and 

 a half-shady position. Many of the dwarf 

 alpine species, which are usually grown in 

 the rock garden, may he successfully used 

 for edging the herbaceous border, espe- 

 cially if a few stones are used to prevent 

 undue moisture lying round and amongst 

 the tender shoots. Generally speaking, a 

 litrht loam, which has been enriched with 



The various forms of C. carpatica are 

 wonderfully well suited to the front por- 

 tions of the borders, where they form ex- 

 cellent edgings. The foliage is very thick, 

 and most of the varieties of this type are 

 profuse bloomers. C. oarpatica has blue 

 flowers, and there is the lovely white form 

 C. c. alba, that must not be omitted. 

 There are several beautiful selections or 



hybi-ids from this dwarf 

 wh ich shou kl he in eluded 



lection 

 w i th 



of 



pale 

 pelviformis. 



haixiy plants, 

 'blue flowers ; 

 soft blue. 



campanula 

 in every col- 

 China Chip, 

 Isobnl, bine ; 

 flowers sliiihtly 



reflexed (this latter variety has also -a white 

 form) ; Riverslea, a strong grower, with 

 large, open flowers of a pale blue colour; 

 and White Star are all good, and this last 

 may be said to be the best of tlie whole sec- 

 tion. ITie growth is somewhat stiff and 

 more erect in habit than the others, and the 



decayed manure, will be found an excellent large^ open flowers, which are white^ with 



which which are borne on the ends of the 

 growths. The colour will vary slightly 

 Avhen plants are raise<l from seeds, and a 

 little more blue will he produced in many 

 of the flowers ; in anv shade of colour it is 

 a plant well worth cultivating. C. latifolia 

 and itt^ white form are desirable plants, 

 growing about 4ft. high; C. latifolia ma- 

 <'rantha is an improvement on the type, 

 having larger flowers. 



C. {iersicifolia (the Peach-leaved Bell- 

 flower) is a popular old favourite in all 

 gardens, and is one of the most useful of 

 all the campanula family. To <)I)taiM the 

 best results it is important that the plants 

 should lie lifted and divi<led at least every 

 two years, antl the strongest growths must 

 be selected for replanting. lleplanting 

 should he attendtnl to early in the autumn. 

 (-. persicifolia and its numerous varieties 

 should be well represente<] in every collec- 

 tion, not only on account of the great value 



CAMPANULA CARPATICA ALBA. 

 A fine white-flowered plant for beds or borders. 



rooting medium, but it must be fairly a distinct shading have a ring of pale purple 



[Photo: r. p. lUffin 



moist. It is necessary to lift, divide, and 

 replant some of the strong-growing kinds 

 every two or three years, otherwise the 

 growths become too crowded, and s'mall 

 flower spikes will result. 



Ca mp a nu las a re readily ra ised f rom 

 seeds, and, although the colours are sure 

 to vary somewhat in shade, yet this is a 

 highly interesting part of the work, and 

 many beautiful plants are to he so ob- 

 tained. 



t). amabilis is a splendid member of the 

 family^ hailing largo, open, saucer-shaped 

 flowers, borne on branching stems about 

 ^rt. high. In colour the flowers are a rich 

 ^lue. Being a fast grower, this species 

 ^^quires dividing about every two years to 

 obtain good spikes of hlos&om. C. bar- 

 pata should be treated as a biennial, for it 

 invariably dies out after flowering. It well 

 <leserves a place in the border. 



in the centre. These campanulas are of 

 great \'alue, for they may be grown to 

 atlva ntagc both in the rock garden and 

 the border. 



C. Fergusoni is a hybrid of exceptional 

 merit, being the result of a cross between 

 C. carpatica and 0. pyramidalis alba. The 

 flowers are pale blue, borne on stems which 

 grow from I8in. to 2ft. high. C. glomerata 

 and 0. glomerata dahurica are both fine 

 border kinds, growing about 2ft. high, and 

 producing terminal heads of purplish 

 flowers. C grandis (or latiloba) is a beau- 

 tiful species, somewhat similar to C. persi< i- 

 folia, but having more expandetl flowers 

 than the latter. The rich blue flowers are 

 much appreciatetl for cutting, as they are 

 light and graceful. This species, with its 

 white form, alba, make a capital pair. C. 

 lactiflora grows about 4ft. hi<ih, and has 

 beautiful spmys of milk-white flowers, 



they possess for border decoration alv)ne, 

 but for the usefuli oss of the flowers tor 

 cutting. C. pervsicifolia alba has large, 

 pure Avhit(^ flowers, and there is also the 

 double variety, C. p. alba fl. pi. Among 

 tlu- naniiMl varietii^s there are Daisy Hill, 

 with round, double flowers of a plea.sing 

 shade of blue; Hiunosa, senii-double, blue; 

 La Fee, one of the more reient introduc- 

 tions, with larn;o lavender-blue flowers, and 

 i.s an ex<'ellent addition to the family ; and 

 Moerlieimi, a well-known variety, its pure 

 white semi-<louble flowers produce<l in great 

 abuiulame, and lasting for some consider- 

 able time, rnfortunately, in some gardens 

 this variety do<'s not iinnx quite so frcvly 

 as many of the others, therefore a little 

 more attention slioiild lie given it. Newry 

 Giant is said to he an improvement on the 

 prefMxling, having a much strongi^r consti- 

 tution. POOLEV. 



Gnaton Gardens. 



