Bell (Campanula) — herbaceous plant The Campanulaceae family, numbering 300 species, grows in countries with temperate climates. In culture there are annual, biennial and perennials. Among the wide variety of bells, there are both low-growing ones, only 10-15 cm, and tall ones, up to 2 meters in height. Plant height may vary depending on growing conditions, so it is not a characteristic feature for identifying the species.

The bell has erect, branched stems, which can be either pubescent or smooth, with alternate whole leaves. There are ampelous and groundcover types of bells with flexible lodging shoots. In perennial and varietal biennial bells grown from seeds, flowering occurs in the second year.

The flowers of the bell are very beautiful, bell-shaped or star-shaped, white, blue, purple, pink, collected in racemes or paniculate, dense or loose inflorescences. Bellflower flowers contain large number pollen and nectar that attracts bees. The aroma of bluebell flowers is delicate, reminiscent of the aroma of a fragrant meadow or a shady forest edge.

After flowering, a fruit is formed - a capsule, which has a special structure. At the bottom of the box there are holes covered with flaps. When it is cloudy, the valves are closed, but in dry weather they open, and the seeds spill out and are carried by the wind. The color of the seeds of different types of bells may vary: from milky white to dark red or brown.

The bell, in addition to the fact that its height changes depending on the growing conditions, has one more feature: it can change the color of the corolla depending on the humidity of the air. If the air humidity is high, the flowers become a little lighter, and this makes them seem more tender.

Light-loving bells, grow well in partial shade, some species even tolerate shade.

They are suitable for well-drained, non-acidic (or slightly acidic for some species), moderately moist, loose, nutritious soil. Bells can be planted in the ground and replanted in both spring and autumn. For garden growing Several of the most decorative types of bells are suitable.

Types of bells

Campanula ciliata (Campanula ciliate) is a herbaceous perennial with a taproot, thickened. The stems are slightly leafy, 7 - 15 cm high. There is one flower on the stem. The basal rosettes are formed by oblong, linear-lanceolate, serrated along the edges, leaves. The flower at the base of the calyx is slightly lighter, blue-violet; at the upper limbs of the corolla the color is more saturated, violet. As it fades, the flower becomes increasingly lighter in color to a blue-blue color. Blooms in June-July.

The ciliated bell prefers slightly alkaline or neutral, fertile, well-drained soils. If you use deep planting, the bluebell tolerates drought better, and the flowering time increases slightly.

It produces seeds, but their germination rate is low. The ciliated bell belongs to the highly decorative types of bells.

Bellflower (Campanula cochleariifolia) is a low herbaceous perennial, up to 15 cm in height, with very thin, thread-like, creeping stems, forming a dense turf. The leaves are small, elongated at the stem, semi-oval at the end, three-toothed at the edges, very decorative throughout the growing season until late autumn. Blooms white, blue, blue flowers, flower size up to 1 cm in diameter. The flowers of the bellflower are drooping, collected in small inflorescences. Flowering period: June - July. There are varieties, including those with white flowers. It looks good on an alpine hill, grows quickly, forms a continuous turf, and looks spectacular during the flowering period.

Portenschlag's bell (Campanula portenschlagiana) is a perennial herbaceous evergreen ground cover plant up to 15 cm tall. When growing, it forms cushion-shaped thickets up to 30 cm wide. The leaves are round, serrated along the edges, ivy-shaped, evergreen. Star-shaped flowers of bright purple or lilac color, collected in small inflorescences at the ends of creeping shoots. It blooms from mid-June for a month. There are varieties.

Portenschlag's bell grows well in both sun and shade. Prefers alkaline or neutral, nutritious, well-drained soil. Does not tolerate clay soils at all. If on site clay soil, you need to add sand and humus to make the soil moisture- and breathable.

Portenschlag's bell is propagated by seeds and vegetatively, preferably in spring, by pieces of shoots with roots. Overwinters without shelter, but does not tolerate stagnation melt water, weathers out, so for planting they use elevated places such as a rock garden or a retaining wall, or arrange good drainage.

Portenschlag's bell grows quickly and blooms profusely. It can be used not only on an alpine hill, but also in continuous plantings. In the rock garden it looks beautiful with phlox, carnation grass, fescue, geranium, sedum, and sedum.

Campanula garganica (Campanula garganica) is a perennial herbaceous plant, up to 15 cm in height, with fragile, creeping shoots, rising tops. Forms a low compact bush. The leaves are medium-sized, round, jagged along the edges, on petioles. The flowers are blue, fully open with outstretched petals, resembling stars, up to 4 cm in diameter. Flowering period is July. It blooms very profusely, during flowering the leaves are not even visible. There are varieties with pale blue, light lavender flowers.

Gargan bell is a very whimsical plant for the garden. Prefers only non-acidic, well-drained, nutritious soils, usually loams, and does not tolerate stagnation of thawed and waste water, does not grow in shade.

Propagated by pieces of rooted shoots in spring or late summer; if necessary, cuttings are grown in a greenhouse.

It is best to grow the Gargan bell in the summer in an alpine hill, borders, and flowerpots. For the winter, the bell can be transplanted into a pot and kept as a houseplant in winter.

Pozharsky's bell (Campanula poscharskyana) is a herbaceous perennial that can be used as a ground cover plant, as it forms cushion-shaped spreading thickets up to 20 cm in height. The basal leaves of Pozharsky's bell are quite large, rounded, with jagged edges. During the growing season it forms long, up to 80 cm, creeping shoots. Star-shaped flowers up to 2.5 cm in diameter, blue, lavender, lilac, dark blue, collected in loose inflorescences up to 10-20 cm in diameter, located at the ends of the shoots.

Flowering period: July-August for 30-40 days. There are varieties.

Pozharsky's bell is very hardy, unpretentious and ornamental plant. Grows well in well-drained neutral and alkaline soils, prefers lacy partial shade.

It overwinters without additional shelter, as it can withstand frosts down to -40 o C. It is very easily propagated vegetatively, by cuttings of stems with roots in the spring and by seeds. Looks good on an alpine hill next to carnation, carnation, saxifrage, and subulate phlox. Pozharsky's bell can be used for carpet plantings.

Campanula rotundifolia (Campanula rotundifolia) is a widespread herbaceous perennial. The height of the plant varies from 10 to 60 centimeters. The rhizome is thin, creeping, branched. The bell received its name because its basal leaves have round shape. The stem leaves, like many bellflower species, are lanceolate. May have several stems.

In the round-leaved bell, the basal leaves dry out earlier, and the stem leaves, fresh and green, are perfectly preserved until autumn.

The flowers are small, blue, collected in paniculate inflorescences at the ends of the stems. There are garden varieties: velvety, garden, arctic.

Campanula equifolia (Campanula isophylla Moretti) - perennial herbaceous hanging plant with small, up to 30 cm, flexible, drooping stems. The leaves of Campanula equifolia are round, sometimes pubescent, light green or olive. The flowers are bell-shaped, up to 4 cm in diameter, white and blue. It is much less common to find a form with purple flowers. In indoor floriculture, the bellflower is widely known by the names: groom - with blue flowers, and bride - with white flowers.

In the garden, the bellflower blooms all summer and during flowering it is completely covered with flowers. Very beautiful! To prevent flowering from weakening, you need to remove faded flowers in time and pinch shoots for better branching. It can be grown in hanging baskets, on retaining walls, or in rock gardens.

Campanula equifolia is light-loving; in the shade the shoots grow, flowering becomes less intense. Loves moisture. Tolerates summer temperature changes well, but open ground in our climatic conditions with cold winters it does not overwinter, so in the fall it needs to be transplanted into a pot and kept as a houseplant in the winter.

Bluebell Carpathian (Campanula carpatica) is a perennial herbaceous plant with branched stems 30-50 cm high. The basal heart-shaped leaves on long petioles are collected in a rosette. The flowers are large, blue and white, bell-shaped, up to 3 centimeters in diameter.

Flowering is long-lasting, from June to September. Carpathian bellflower reproduces well by seeds, dividing the bush and root suckers.

It grows very well in open areas and in partial shade, prefers fertile soils with the addition of peat and humus, and is frost-resistant. It can grow in one place for up to 5 years.

The Carpathian bell is suitable for creating carpet plantings Instead of lawn grasses, it can be planted in the border; it looks great on an alpine hill.

There are varieties. A very common variety of Carpathian bell, Gnome, is one of the most unpretentious. The height of the plant does not exceed 30 cm, the color of the flowers is white and blue, flowering is very long, from June to September.

Bell Takeshima (Campanula takesimana), Korean bell is a herbaceous perennial that forms low thickets up to 60 cm in height. The stems are creeping, with erect tips. The leaves are heart-shaped, with a wavy edge, on petioles. It blooms with white, blue, pink single or double flowers, up to 6-7 cm long. The flowers are slightly drooping and appear throughout the summer.

Takeshima bluebell develops better on loose fertile soils, both in sunny places and in partial shade. It grows very quickly and produces many lateral shoots that can be easily separated in spring or autumn.

Bluebell crowded (Campanula glomerata) is a perennial herbaceous plant with simple or weakly branched leafy shoots 30-60 centimeters high. The basal leaves of the bellflower are oblong, on long petioles, the upper ones are sessile, lanceolate, serrated along the edge.

The flowers are white, blue, dark purple, up to 2 cm in diameter, collected in capitate inflorescences of up to 20 pieces. Flowering period - June-July for 1-1.5 months. In the crowded bell, usually after flowering the basal rosettes along with the stems die off, but before that the root system manages to form many new rosettes, which is why it grows very quickly.

The crowded bell can be grown both in sunny places and in partial shade. Grows best in moist, nutritious, light sandy loam or medium loamy soils. The crowded bell is easily propagated by seeds, which can be sown before winter, as well as by separating young rosettes in spring or autumn.

Bellflower peach (Campanula persicifolia) is a perennial herbaceous plant. From a rosette of basal linear leaves grows a straight ribbed leafy stem 0.5 to 1 meter high. The stem leaves are narrow, lanceolate, shiny, serrated along the edges.

The peach-leaved bell blooms with white, blue, light purple, blue-violet single flowers or collected in a racemose loose inflorescence of 3-8 pieces. The flowers are quite large, double in varietal forms, with a diameter of 4 - 5 cm. There are varieties.

The peach-leaved bellflower blooms from June to September. After flowering, it is recommended to trim the flower stalks in order to encourage new flowering, and also to prevent the bluebell from spreading throughout the garden by self-sowing. The peach bell is completely unpretentious in care and grows well both in partial shade and in open sunny areas. Prefers well-drained soils.

In hot weather, watering is advisable. Overwinters without shelter. Propagates well both by seeds and by dividing the bush. Without division, it forms a large clump in 3-4 years, so its growth in the flower garden has to be limited.

Next to the peach-leaf bell in the flower garden you can plant evening primrose, chistets, parsley, alpine aster, matricaria, cineraria.

Campanula nettlefolia (Campanula trachelium) - a plant up to 1 m high. It has a white, cord-like, deep-lying, spreading different sides, rhizome. Numerous erect, thick, ribbed stems, simple or branched, covered with stiff hairs. The leaves are very similar to nettle leaves and are also covered with hairs. The lower leaves are ovate, up to 10 cm in length, on long petioles, the middle ones are heart-shaped, on short petioles, the upper ones are oval-lanceolate, sessile. The flowers are white, blue, blue, violet, 1-3 each, located in the axils of the leaves, collected in a racemose inflorescence up to 45 cm long. Flowering period: late June - early August.

The nettle-leaved bell grows in open sunny places and can also withstand partial shade. It grows better in well-drained, nutritious, neutral or slightly alkaline soils.

During the dry season, the bell needs watering. After flowering it produces abundant self-seeding; the flower stalks are cut off immediately after flowering, otherwise it becomes a strong weed.

The nettle-leaved bell is propagated by seeds, dividing the bush, segments of rhizomes, root suckers, and green cuttings. Reproduction and transplantation can be carried out both in spring and autumn, in early September.

Preparing for winter. At the end of September - beginning of October, all bellflower stems are cut off at the root. It winters well without shelter. However, it should be remembered that it absolutely cannot tolerate stagnation of melt water during wintering: the roots rot and the rosette freezes.

Nettle-leaved bellflower is planted singly against the background of a lawn or in groups in mixborders, ridges, borders. In the flower garden it goes well with cornflower, cornflowers, delphinium, poppy, low ornamental grasses, daylily, foxglove, calendula, phlox.

Medium bell (Campanula medium) - herbaceous biennial, 0.5-1 meter high. The basal leaves are oval or lanceolate, the stem leaves are broadly lanceolate. The flowers are white, blue, pink, very large, up to 7 cm in length, very beautiful. Bluebell average can be grown in the garden as a perennial due to natural renewal due to shedding and germinating seeds.

Medium bell, grown from seeds, blooms in the second year, blooming from June to September. For long-lasting flowering, it is recommended to trim off faded flower stalks. The middle bell prefers bright places. The plant is moisture-loving, but on damp, poorly drained soils the rosette becomes wet and damp.

The middle bell is very common in garden floriculture; many varieties and varieties have been bred, differing in the doubleness of the flowers, the size of the overgrown calyx, and the dissection of the teeth.

Campanula lactiflora (Campanula lactiflora) is a tall perennial plant, the height of the stems varies greatly, ranging from 60 cm to 1.5 m, depending on both the variety and growing conditions. It has a taproot and a highly branched stem. The lower leaves are on short petioles, the upper ones are sessile, oblong, toothed. Thanks to its root system, it grows well on heavy loams, which makes it different from other types of bells. Numerous bell-shaped flowers, up to 3-4 cm in length, milky white, blue, light purple, lilac in color, collected in wide pyramidal inflorescences. There are up to hundreds of flowers in one inflorescence. Blooms profusely in June-July. There are varietal forms with flowers of different colors.

Campanula lactiflora prefers an open sunny place. It is propagated mainly by seeds, and the seeds are sown immediately in open ground in the main place, and then the seedlings are thinned out. This is due to the fact that the bellflower does not tolerate transplantation. Although the bellflower does not tolerate division well, if desired, it can still be propagated in the spring by small, 10-15 cm long, basal shoots-cuttings, which are first rooted in a greenhouse.

The bellflower milkflower grows in one place for 10-12 years, it is one of the longest-living representatives of the genus.

Preparing for winter. At the end of September, the stems are cut off and the root rosettes are sprinkled with leaves.

The article uses materials from https://ru.wikipedia.org, http://flower.onego.ru, http://www.plantopedia.ru
Image source www.plantarium.ru (Tatiana Vinokurova), www.biolib.cz: Michael Kesl, www.99roots.com, www.perryhillnurseries.co.uk, dic.academic.ru, http://tuinplantendepauw.be, www .pinterest.com, flickr.com: mr.bong.bing, Hans Hillewaert, Andreas Kay, naturgucker.de / enjoynature.net (2), NB Photos, Finn Jensen, 11299883, Peter Laughton (2), Amselchen, Stephen Rees , Marta, Rob (2), Ross Bayton, Nicholas Turland, Vojtěch Zavadil, John Weiser, equipaje, Tango, Zuzka Grujbárová, Native Sons Melissa G, Gebr. ten Have (5), John Weiser, Changxu Pang, eleonora mariotti, Robert Strusievicz, Janet Ulliott, BEARTOMCAT (Bear) (2), Cristina, ankiask. Francis Ackerley, JardinsLeeds (2), Ben Rushbrooke, Linda Daley, Florian Brault, Megan Hansen (2), jacki-dee (2), Ewa, Shawn Beelman, Valery Chernodedov, Chironius, Alan (2), Valleybrook Perennials, Shigemi. J, Michel Pierfitte, longk48, Takashi .M @Mon jardin (2), Winsors Farm, caroline, b1zarr0, angela garrod (3), Javier Pelayo, Peter Hegi, Angle Shades, gianna elena, tomokotouzaki tomokotouzaki, Süleyman Demir, Nobuhiro Suhara , ntson, Un jardí al riu Anoia, Debbie, Sylvi, Swaentje5, Van Swearingen, Michael Ruecker, Randal Atkinson, Dietmut Teijgeman-Hansen, Jean-Maurice Turgeon, fromseeds, mentos2

Since ancient times, bell flowers, growing freely in the wild conditions of nature, have attracted everyone's attention, as a result, breeders came up with the idea to use this beautiful, modest and touching plant to decorate gardens and suburban areas. In addition, bells are perennial flowers, so growing them is not only beautiful, but also practical.

In Russia, such plants are loved local residents so much so that they came up with various affectionate names such as doves, bells, bells, chebotki, chenilles.

Legends were made about gentle bells, and according to one of the legends, these flowers appeared in those days when people began to ride three horses to the cheerful ringing of bells.

Where these chimes sounded, bells grew, which also made a quiet ringing, but it could only be heard the night before on the night of Ivan Kupala.

Beneficial properties of perennial bells

After a certain period of time, villagers began to plant bells in their front gardens, but they used these flowers not only as decoration, but also to treat certain ailments. It was believed that these modest flowers helped cope with ulcers, sore throats, erysipelas, mastitis and epilepsy.

In addition, there are many types of bells, and among them there are edible and melliferous plants, the roots and leaves of which can be used in cooking for pickling, stewing, preparing soups, salads.

How to grow bluebells in the garden. General rules for planting and care.

You need to choose a place for planting that is sunny or lightly shaded. Any soil that is well drained will do.

Drained soil is soil brought to normal water balance. This is most often achieved by constructing active or passive removal of excess moisture. Active removal is used, for example, on modern football fields. Passive - sandy or rocky layer in the soil.

Can't plant garden bells:

• to areas where water stagnates;
• in lowlands with loamy or clayey soil;
• places that are flooded with water.

In any other places you can grow bells and they will feel great. If the groundwater is located close to the surface, you can make a tall, raised flower bed and provide good drainage.

How to plant perennial garden bellflower.

The soil for planting should be loose, with sufficient nutrients. To do this, add peat, humus, sod land.

Bluebells reproduce best by bushes. You can also grow your own bellflower seedlings from seeds.

The time when to plant garden bells is very convenient. This can be done twice per season in autumn and spring. Namely:

• perennial bells for rock gardens (these include Carpathian bell, spoon-leaved, wall, Pozharsky, Gargan) are propagated by dividing bushes and nests in the spring;
• these same low-growing bells for the rock garden are planted by cuttings for propagation in an unheated greenhouse at the beginning of summer;
• flower bed bells, which are grown as biennials, are planted with seeds in May - June, seedlings are planted on permanent place in the fall. Growing bells from seeds is a very simple task, even a novice gardener can do it.

Flowers are planted in holes, which are watered abundantly before planting. Lay the bush, straighten the roots and sprinkle with earth. Planting flowers in the fall must be done so that they take root before the onset of frost.

Feeding perennial bluebells

In order for flowers to delight us with their blooming, they must be fertilized and the necessary fertilizing must be applied.

• In the spring, you need to add nitrogen or any nitrogen-containing fertilizers to the soil that promote the growth of green mass of plants.
• In summer, complex and phosphorus fertilizers are used for garden flowers.
• In the fall, add potassium, it will increase the plants' resistance to frost.

Perennial bells planting and care

The main care for flowers is in summer. They need to be periodically loosened, weeds removed, and fertilized, especially before flowering.

Propagation of perennial garden bells

1. Growing from seeds. Most species of these flowers can be propagated by seeds; they repeat the properties of the parent plants. Only some varieties, for example terry ones, may differ from their parents. In this case, they are propagated vegetatively.

The bell seeds are very small, so they are laid out on the soil and sprinkled with a thin layer of sand.

When to plant bluebells with seeds? In the 2nd half of October or May, the seeds are sown in the ground. Through seedlings at home, flower seeds are planted for seedlings, starting in March.

The first shoots appear approximately 2 weeks after planting. When 3 true leaves appear, the seedlings dive after 10 cm. The flowers are transplanted into flower beds and flower beds in early June. Garden bells bloom within a year.

2. Propagation by cuttings. Young shoots are cut into cuttings and planted in an unheated greenhouse.

Bells are perennial flowers - popular varieties and species.

Bell flowers have long been cultivated, but some gardeners prefer to decorate their gardens with wild species, as they see zest and grace in them.

In most cases, cultivated varieties specially bred by breeders are planted in private gardens.

There are now more than four hundred different varieties such plants, and the flowers on many of them have long ceased to have the traditional blue or bluish color. So, in gardens you can find bells of violet, light lilac, soft pink, ocher-yellow, fawn and white corolla colors. Naturally, all varieties differ from each other not only in color, but also in the timing of flowering, as well as in the size of the leaves.

That is why every gardener has a great opportunity to choose the most suitable varieties of bells for decorating gardens, rockeries, borders, and vertical flower arrangements.

Bluebell Carpathian

The most popular type. The Carpathian bell is actively used to create alpine slides and rockeries. In nature, it grows in the mountains, so it looks great among the stones, very quickly forming a large fluffy ball of flowers from small seedlings.

Bell-shaped or star-shaped flowers are white or blue. Plant height 25 cm. Flowering lasts from June to September. Refers to perennial flowers that bloom all summer. It is worth noting that this unpretentious plant. In spring it is necessary to protect the plant from slugs. During drought, water regularly.

Bell dotted

It gets its name from the crimson speckles on the white petal visible from inside the flower. The peculiarity of the flower’s shape is that it resembles a blown barrel and tapers to petal blades. Incredibly beautiful. It will be a wonderful decoration for your suburban area.

The flower consists of 5 connected petals, forming a bell-like corolla. The bell also has 10 green cloves at the flower stem. 5 of them are raised up, and the rest are lowered down.

Hanging flowers reach 4 centimeters and are collected in lush inflorescences. The lower leaves are on cuttings. The upper ones do not have this part, so they are classified as sessile. They have very hard fluff, which is very noticeable when you touch it.

Varieties of this bell are bred in different colors:

• pink
• blue
• burgundy
• white
• deep blue

The popularity of the dotted bell is increased due to its diversity.

1. For example, the Otello variety is rich in color pigments. That's why even its sheets are painted. They are characterized by a brown color. 'Kent Bell' has very large bright blue flowers and a stem that grows over 70cm.
2. IN lately The “Cherry Bells” variety is highly sought after, with milky petal tips, a pink base and lots of red flecks throughout the flower. He is short, only about half a meter. Breeders promise to soon release terry variations of this variety.
3. Many gardeners like the double dotted bell, the so-called double bell. In this form, additional petals are formed from the stamens.

Terry like characteristic feature This bell is not very durable. Its availability may vary due to climate, weather and growing conditions. And the age of the plant and very hot weather contribute to the preservation of terry. Young plants are least likely to produce double flowers.

Of course, some of the varieties of this bell are capricious. But among them there are sure to be many resistant plants, which can decorate any garden, wherever it is. Growing bellflower is not the most carefree activity. After all, this flower needs scrupulous care.

Bellflower peach leaf.

Belongs to border perennials. Peach bell planting and care is possible in garden beds and a flower garden. Plant height 75 cm. Flower color - white or blue. The flowers are cup-shaped, large. A very popular plant among gardeners.

Planting peach bell on sandy, clay or loamy soils is possible with drainage and a large amount of humus. The flower is not afraid of shade; it loves soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction.

You should not add a lot of fertilizers, as this will negatively affect the durability of plants in winter and lead to their rapid aging.

The peach-leaf bell is propagated by seeds. They are sown in small greenhouses starting in mid-spring. You should not collect peach bell seeds yourself - they do not inherit parental characteristics. In July, the seedlings are harvested, and in August they are planted in a permanent place. For the winter, the plant is covered with peat or a 15-20 cm layer of dry leaves. With proper care, the bell may bloom next year. If you delay planting or picking, the buds will appear only in the third year.

Peach-leaved species are not long-lived plants, although they are perennial bluebells. Planting and care during propagation by division make it possible to inherit parental characteristics. The transplant is done at the beginning or end of summer, and the roots should be covered with clods of earth. Cuttings are also often used and are done in sand. For effective flowering, you need to periodically feed the bell. Growing will be effective if fertilizers are applied correctly. In spring, nitrogen is used, and before flowering, various complex mineral fertilizers are used. In addition, faded shoots are pruned so that the blooming bells will delight the eye longer.

Flowering is long, from June to August. Removing spent flowers prolongs flowering.

You can use bells of different colors and types not only in group settings, but also single landings Moreover, such compositions will not seem boring at all.

Tell:

The Carpathian bell planting and care is extremely popular among gardeners, the photo of which will not leave anyone indifferent.

These flowers are distinguished by their extraordinary beauty and tenderness, which will delight you for many years.

The plant looks like a small bush (25-30cm), with beautiful large flowers, the color of which depends on the variety and can be white, purple, blue or light blue. In addition to its external beauty, the bell is unpretentious to external conditions, which is why many gardeners have fallen in love.

Varieties and varieties

Bluebell Alba

The Carpathian bell became established in gardening around the 70s, and since then many different varieties have appeared, the most popular of which are:

• "Alba". A beautiful plant in the form of a bush with snow-white flowers, characterized by its low size and thin stem. Spreads by shoots. The flowering period begins in June and ends at the end of summer.
• "Clip"- counts dwarf plant, whose height does not exceed 20cm. Unpretentious flower, feels great both in garden conditions and in a pot on the windowsill;
• "Isabel". This variety has beautiful bright blue flowers. It begins flowering in June and ends in September. Grows well in sunny and shaded areas;
• White Star. Perhaps the most common type among gardeners. It has snow-white inflorescences, charming with their tenderness;
• "Celestine"- a plant up to 30 cm high, with blue bells that look like fragile porcelain cups. It will delight you with its beauty for 5 years, without requiring a transplant. The flower should be placed in a windless place in light partial shade or in the sun;
• "Karpatenkrone" characterized by soft lilac and purple flowers;
• Blaumeise, Centon Joy, Riverslea– all these varieties have a bright blue color and are distinguished by amazing beauty;
• « Dwarf" most unpretentious variety, which can be grown through seedlings. It is a rounded bush with snow-white or blue flowers.

In addition to the varieties listed above, there are hybrid forms with double flowers that will fit perfectly into any landscape.

Growing from seeds

There are several ways to grow Carpathian bell, but the most optimal is growing from seeds.

However, the seeds require preliminary hardening, since they germinate with certain difficulties. To make the process easier, you should follow a certain sequence:

1. In February, the seeds are sown in a container with soil, which is covered with film or glass. Planted seeds must be placed in a room with a temperature of +20C, ensure good lighting and regular ventilation. This way you will ensure a high percentage of seed germination. Early germinated plants should be separated into another container;
2. The next stage is seed hardening. It consists in leaving the pot with seeds in a cool place with temperatures down to -4C. Such conditions can be achieved by filling the boxes with snow. It will not allow the seeds to freeze, and the thawed layer will moisten the soil. As soon as the first shoots appear, the seedlings must be provided with a temperature of +15C;
3. Seeds are planted in open ground in March in fertile, loose soil. The place with the planted seeds must be covered with film, forming a greenhouse. The first shoots will be noticeable after 14 days.

Despite all the laboriousness of growing bells from seeds, this method is highly effective. The reward for your efforts will be strong and beautiful plants. .

Flower propagation

Having planted the Carpathian bell on your site, you will undoubtedly want to increase its number. To do this, you will need to collect seeds at the end of the season.

As soon as you notice that the inflorescences have become brown, they must be cut off and left to ripen in a dry room. To avoid confusion in the spring, ripened seeds should be placed in cloth bags, labeling each variety. If you plan to plant directly in open ground, around March the seeds should be transferred to the refrigerator for 45-60 days.

There is also a vegetative propagation method, which involves dividing rhizomes or cuttings. Plants no younger than 3 years old are suitable for vegetative division. They need to be dug up, the shoots cut off, and then the rhizome divided into several parts. Each cut must be treated with activated carbon, after which the plants are planted in separate holes.

To propagate a flower using the second method, young bellflower stems are cut into cuttings and planted in the ground, covered with film. In this microclimate, the plant will take root and you will have a new bush of charming bells.

Diseases and pests

The Carpathian bell is a rather not picky plant, resistant to various diseases. If you provide it with proper care, it will not cause any problems to the gardener.

However, the crop is perennial, so over time, harmful microorganisms accumulate in the soil, which can lead to the death of the bush. To protect against this disease, the soil should be sprayed with a special solution every spring and autumn.

Uses in garden landscape design

Since the plant is distinguished by its extraordinary beauty and grace, flower growers use it in various variations: rockeries, plantings parallel to paths and borders.

Bells go well with each other, as well as with other plants. Thanks to diversity color range you can create amazing compositions that will ideally complement terry varieties.

Since the Carpathian bell is unpretentious, it is widely used to decorate rocky gardens. He is able to bloom and delight others even in the presence small space between the stones.

Gardeners will appreciate low-growing varieties when placed around large trees or around the perimeter of a house.

If you are a beginning florist who dreams of improving your house plot beautiful plants, the Carpathian bell should take the most honorable place. It will allow you to enjoy its beauty and flowering almost until autumn.

Watch a video review of the Carpathian bellflower below:

Name bell came from Latin word"campana" - bell. There are about 300 species of bellflower in the genus, found mainly in the northern hemisphere. Many bluebells also grow in the mountainous regions of Europe and the Mediterranean. Bells are distinguished by straight, long, slightly drooping at the top, creeping or creeping stems.

The leaves of the bells are alternate, sometimes collected in rosettes at the base of the stem.

Bluebells are blooming from June until the onset of frost; flowers are blue, blue, purple, yellow, white. Low-growing species are a must-have assortment of rock gardens.

Bluebell flowers beautifully enliven the landscape. These plants are very unpretentious (except for high-mountain species), unpretentious to the soil. They grow well among cracks in stairs, in stone walls and between tiles.

Growing bluebells

They are undemanding to soil, but grow better in well-drained, slightly alkaline or neutral soils treated with sufficient nutrition. It would be advisable that the area be drained using drainage pipes or drainage ditches, because bells cannot tolerate stagnant water during wintering, their roots rot and freeze. They cannot be planted in areas flooded with spring waters or rain.

For planting bluebells the soil must be prepared in advance by digging 30-40 cm and carefully removing weeds. Peat and sand must be added to clay and loamy soils. Such soils contain a large amount of nutrients, so fertilizers need to be applied in small quantities.

In loose, humus-poor sandy soils, it is necessary to add turf soil, humus, peat or silty pond soil. Manure and fresh peat cannot be added, because this can cause fungal diseases.

As for soil acidity, a large number of species grow well in slightly alkaline and neutral soils.

Bluebell care

In the spring, before the plants begin to grow, it is necessary to feed them with nitrogen fertilizer; it is also advisable to sprinkle rotted ash or manure under the bushes. In the first half of summer, constant weeding and loosening of the soil are needed. IN middle lane Most bluebells can survive without watering, but during dry periods they should be watered sparingly.

Bluebells do not like stagnant water. If you carefully remove dried peduncles and faded flowers, you can extend the flowering period of the bell.

Flowering shoots saved for collecting seeds should be cut off when the bolls turn brown, but only before the pores open (otherwise the seeds will end up on the ground). In early October, all stems should be cut off at the root.

Bluebell transplant

Bells need to be replanted in spring or autumn. After the snow melts, early spring You can replant a bell with a powerful root system. It is better to replant bells with an undeveloped root system in May, when the soil warms up. In the fall, it is better to replant at the end of August or at the beginning of September, so that the plant has time to take root before frost.

With a compact, shallow root system, it can be replanted during any growing season, and even during flowering. The bell should be replanted with a large lump of earth in order not to injure the roots, and the prepared hole should be well watered before and after planting.

Reproduction of bluebells

Reproduction by dividing the bush, seeds, root suckers, rhizome segments, green cuttings. The methods of propagation of these plants depend on the biological characteristics of the species, its life form. For example, annual species Bluebells are propagated only by seeds, biennials - by spring cuttings and seeds.

Among the perennial bells, there are vegetatively immobile ones - these are cystic-root and taproot plants, they reproduce only by seeds. Vegetatively inactive - short rhizomatous, propagated by dividing the bush, green cuttings and seeds.

Vegetatively mobile - long-rhizome, root-sprouting and stolon-forming plants, propagated by dividing the bush, seeds, root suckers, green cuttings, segments of rhizomes.

Seed propagation of bellflower

You need to collect the fruits of the bells when they turn brown, but only until the pores open. After drying the fruit, the seeds must be poured out through the opened pores. As a rule, the seeds of bells are very small, so they can be mixed with crushed chalk or washed sand. Seeds can be sown directly into the ground or seedlings can be grown from them in advance and planted in a flower garden when the weather warms up.

Vegetative propagation of bellflower

Allows you to obtain a plant that exactly repeats all the maternal properties. Bells are divided and replanted, as a rule, in the 3-5th year of the growing season; however, some types of bells can be divided in the fall in the 1st year of flowering. The bushes should be divided in early May or late August so that the plant has time to take root before frost.

Dividing the bush: The bell is dug up, the above-ground shoots are cut off and cut into separate sections with a shovel or knife. Delenka must have root system and bud renewal. Division of rhizomes: the rhizome is divided into segments with renewal buds and planted in grooves so that the buds are at soil level.

While admiring exotic flowers, we give our hearts to the modest and unassuming “pearls” of Central Russian nature - bells, daisies, lilies of the valley, forget-me-nots... We plant their cultivated varieties and forms in our gardens. The middle bell is one of them.
The biennial plant is distinguished by simple agricultural techniques and delights with long and lush flowering, propagated by seeds, less often by cuttings. Depending on the desired flowering time, cultivation of middle bell from seeds begins in spring or summer. In the first case, flowering occurs in the year of sowing. But the process is complicated by the need to keep the seedlings indoors until warm days arrive. Growing medium bellflower from seeds in summer is easier, as it allows you to use open ground seed beds. Flowering in this case occurs only in the second year. Effective and long-lasting, it is worth the time and effort. Photo: Medium bell “Alba”.

MEDIUM BELL (Campanula medium). DESCRIPTION

Campanula is one of 300 species of the genus Campanula. The herbaceous biennial plant grows wild on rocky slopes in the temperate zone of Europe, the Caucasus, Siberia, is found in Asia and is naturalized in America. Its beautiful flowers have not left people indifferent; since 1578, Campanula has been cultivated in gardens of both hemispheres. Warm and cool climates suit him and heat and frost are contraindicated. He loves wet soil, but does not tolerate damp air.
Plants 50-100 cm high are often cultivated as biennial flowers. In the first year of cultivation, a rosette of leaves is formed from the seeds, in the second - a straight, strong stem covered with small, harsh hairs. The stem is branched, has a burgundy tint in plants with purple and blue corollas, and in plants with white and light pink flowers it is green.
The basal, lanceolate, green leaves up to 15 cm in length are collected in a rosette and have a long-toothed edge. On the stem there are sparse small narrow sessile leaves, the higher up the stem, the smaller they are.
Large flowers reach 6-7 cm in length and diameter, they are located along the entire length of the stem and open alternately, which is why flowering lasts up to 2 months, from June to August.
The flowers are bell-shaped or goblet-shaped and blue, purple, pink or white. The 5 petals along the edge are gracefully curved outward. The plant is self-pollinating, but bees, bumblebees and butterflies are partially involved in pollination. It is considered a good honey plant; especially sweet honey is obtained from it.
The seeds ripen at the end of August-September. Small brownish in color, they are collected in a fruit-box. Dispersing on their own, the seeds give life to new plants, which is why sometimes it seems that the average bell is not a biennial at all - after all, it grows in one place for several years! This impression is wrong. And a flower garden with self-seeding is not as colorful as the one decorated with the average bell, grown from seeds by the caring hands of a gardener.

BELL MEDIUM. GROWING FROM SEEDS IN A TWO-YEAR CULTURE

To get a flowering plant in the second year, sowing is carried out in the summer from May to June, in exceptional cases - in July. Seeds can be sown directly in open ground. But when sown in beds, seedlings can be drowned out by weeds. Therefore, it is better to take a seedling container or an ordinary plastic packaging box and grow seedlings in them. It is necessary to make holes in the bottom to drain excess water. The container is filled with garden soil, compacted and moistened with a sprayer (photo →). Can be used purchased soil for flower crops.

The seeds are evenly distributed over the surface of the substrate. Sprinkle on top thin layer sand (photo). Irrigate with water and cover with lutrasil or any non-woven material(photo). He prevents evaporation of water and at the same time allows air to reach the seeds.

The container with the crops is placed in comfortable conditions, for example, on a bright terrace of a dacha or in the partial shade of bushes, but not in direct sunlight. Check the condition of the crops daily and moisten them if necessary.

After 10 days, shoots appear, friendly and strong (photo). Lutrasil is removed and the seedlings are cared for like any other flowers: watered, weeds removed. It is especially important to moisten the soil during the first period after germination. Young shoots without moisture may dry out. If poor soil was used to grow bellflower seeds from seeds, the plants are fed with soluble water every 10 days. complex fertilizer in proportions recommended for seedlings. Seedlings with 3 true leaves can be planted in the ground.

Growing of seedlings is carried out in a growing bed. First, dig up the soil and add compost and mineral fertilizer or ash (bellflower does not like acidic soils, and ash, moreover, reduces the acidity of the soil). The bed should be raised so that the seedlings do not get wet in the rain and do not dry out in the winter. An average bell is planted for growing at a distance of 10 cm in a row and 20 cm between rows (photo). The plants will remain in the garden overwinter until spring. But you can transplant the grown seedlings to a permanent place in August; you should not do this later, the plants will not take root well.

Caring for the average bell is traditional - watering, loosening, weed control, poor growth It is recommended to fertilize twice a month with a dissolved complex of nutrients. The medium bell tolerates winter well without shelter (Moscow region). But it is safer to mulch the plantings with peat, fallen leaves or cover with spruce branches.

MEDIUM BELL: PLANTING AND CARE

In the spring, together with a lump of damp earth, the middle bell is transplanted to a designated place. This could be a group against the background of a lawn, a flower bed, a border, or a container. In natural-style gardens, the middle bell is planted between bushes or in clearings as islands. Underdeveloped sockets can be left on the breeding bed. Most likely, they will bloom only in next year.

To plant the middle bell, choose a sunny or semi-shaded location, protected from winds that can break tall flowers. Stagnation of water in the soil and poor soils should be avoided. Acidic soils lime beforehand. On fertile soils, the flowers are especially bright and large. When preparing the soil, it is recommended to add compost or humus (1-2 buckets per square meter).

By pulling out weeds and watering the drying soil, we create necessary conditions for the growth and flowering of the middle bell. Lack of moisture impairs the decorative effect of its flowers and can completely interrupt flowering. But fertilizing with a dissolved fertilizer complex will promote it. To protect tall inflorescences from wind and rain, the stems are tied to pegs. To prolong flowering, faded buds are removed.

We recommend reading: EQUAL LEAF BELL

A medium bell can not only decorate a garden or balcony, but also serve good material for making bouquets and floral arrangements. The plant stands well when cut (up to 10-15 days) and is often grown for this purpose. Bouquets of bluebells symbolize constancy, faith and gratitude.

* Sometimes the middle bell is immediately sown in a permanent place. In this case, the seedlings are thinned out, maintaining the same distances as when planting seedlings.

We recommend reading: Foxglove: GROWING FROM SEEDS MATRON'S PARTY /HESPERIS/

BELL MEDIUM. GROWING FROM SEEDS IN AN ANNUAL CULTURE

If you start growing from seeds in March, the middle bell will bloom in the same year. The technology is similar to that described above, with the difference that the conditions necessary for growth will first have to be created in an apartment. For the germination of middle bell seeds, a temperature of + 18-20°C is required. Seedlings are planted in the garden at the age of 50-60 days in May.

In the photo: Medium bell, mixture. Plants in the flowerbed and in the garden.

CUTTINGS

Sometimes they practice propagation of the middle bell by cuttings. They are cut in the spring of the second year of cultivation. The rooting scheme is standard: a cutting with one or two internodes with cut leaves is planted in moist soil with the addition of sand, the other two internodes are left above the soil surface; kept in a humid, warm environment under a film or jar with a small air flow.

We recommend reading: TURKISH CLOVE: GROWING FROM SEEDS ANNUAL RUDBEKIA

MEDIUM BELL: VARIETIES

The varieties presented on the seed market differ in plant height, color and doubleness of flowers. Double flowers have a double corolla, which in some varieties resembles a cup and saucer. One of the varieties is named for this association. The degree of growth of the calyx and the dissection of the petals varies among varieties and garden forms. Despite this, you will always recognize the middle bell. Its varieties: “Droplet”, “Cup with Saucer”, “Terry”, “Music Box”, “Merry Chime”, “Cottage”, “Raspberry Ring”, “Chelsea”, “Vanilla Clouds”, “Snezhanna”, “ Pink Gramophone", "Carminrose". Often the seeds are sold under the general name "Middle Bell".

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