Available in shades of blue, lilac, pink, purple, and white, the flowers are cup-shaped, star-shaped, or bell-shaped, depending on the species and whether or not they are fully open. They are planted in spring, and bloom time is often from late spring until nearly into autumn. While the flowers are not typically large, the plants in this genus are showy due to the abundance of their blooms. There is a Campanula well-suited to the needs of almost any Northern gardener since the genus offers a range of sizes and growth habits: There are tall bellflowers great for border plantings, but also bellflowers that stay short and function well as ground covers, edging plants, or rock garden plants, and other varieties in between. Bellflower generally performs best in well-drained soils of a neutral pH and with an average amount of moisture. Give bellflower full sun in the North but partial shade in the South. There are over 500 species in the Campanula genus. Some are annual or biennial; the well-known Canterbury bells (Campanula medium), for example, is a biennial. To help you decide which works best for your garden, here are 10 perennial types that are particularly popular, both for their beauty and functionality.
Native Area: Croatia and Herzegovina USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8 Height: 3 to 6 inches Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Native Area: across much of the Northern HemisphereUSDA Growing Zones: 3 to 6Height: 1 to 2 feetSun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Native Area: Europe and western SiberiaUSDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9Height: 2 to 4 feetSun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Native Area: Europe, AsiaUSDA Growing Zones: 3 to 7Height: up to 2 feetSun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Native Area: Siberia and JapanUSDA Growing Zones: 5 to 7Height: 1 to 2 feetSun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Native Area: Carpathian Mountains of EuropeUSDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8Height: up to 1 footSun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Native Area: SerbiaUSDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8Height: 6 to 12 inchesSun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Native Area: Alpine regions of EuropeUSDA Growing Zones: 2 to 9Height: Up to 6 inchesSun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Native Area: The CaucasusUSDA Growing Zones: 5 to 7Height: 3 to 5 feetSun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Native Area: Europe, the Himalayas, Siberia, western AsiaUSDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8Height: 3 to 4 feetSun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
