|
Bell Flowers
By Zahrah Nasir
There is something very special about Bell Flowers, more correctly termed as
members of the ‘Campanulaceae’ family of plants.
Tall, medium, short growing or even creeping or hanging plants, this extremely
attractive range of flowers bears, as the name implies, gorgeous bell shaped
flowers, predominantly in shades of blue, from light to midnight hues, pinks and
rose, the purest of white and, in a couple of instances, a very clear yellow
which is rare indeed amongst true campanulas.
One of the easiest to grow members of this huge species is the deservedly
popular, if rather old fashioned, ‘Campanula medium’ which is far better known
as the ‘Canterbury Bell’
Available in shades of pink, rose, lilac, lavender, blue and white, these single
or double flowers can reach quite large dimensions and a massed display really
adds interest to a garden. The double version is sometimes called ‘Cups and
Saucers’ as the calyx is enlarged and looks just look a saucer holding a cup!
Usually advertised as being bi-annual plants, meaning that you sow the seed one
year and they will flower the next, they can, however, be successfully raised as
annuals in hot places such as Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and
Peshawar.
In cooler areas, those having cold winters and reasonably warm summers, they are
best treated as bi-annuals and, if cut back after flowering, may even oblige you
by flowering again for yet another year.
In hot areas of the country seed should be sown during late September, just
under the surface of good grade seed compost in seed trays or plant pots. The
soil must be kept moist at all times and the seedlings will germinate better if
the trays or pots are kept in a semi-shaded location. Watering, as always, is
best done in the evening so that the soil retains the moisture for a much longer
period of time than if it was done in the morning when the sun soon gets hot
enough to dry things out, thus harming, sometimes even preventing, germination.
Seedlings should be transplanted into their flowering position when they reach
the four leaf stage. Handle the seedlings very carefully indeed to avoid undue
loss of the tender young plants. Transplanting is also best if done in the cool
of the evening as lower temperatures help the seedlings to overcome the shock of
having their thread like roots disturbed.
Canterbury Bells, like most members of the ‘Campanula’ family of plants, when
being grown in a, to their tastes, hot climate, much prefer a shady place and
need to be watered regularly if they are to perform to their optimum ability.
This variety usually reached a height of between two and three feet so keep this
in mind when selecting a suitable location in which to plant them.
Other members of this large family are mostly perennial in nature, which means
that they are permanent plants but only in cool climates, not hot ones.
However, once again, if seed is sown in September, they should be in flower the
following spring in hot regions of the country.
Seed should be sown, and treated, exactly as for Canterbury Bells and, depending
on the variety you select, you can have wonderful blue, white or pink bells,
either nodding sleepily downwards or staring straight up at the sky in heights
ranging from a mere few inches to an astonishing nine feet or more. They can
really be quite stunning I assure you!
Just last year actually, I managed to get hold of some seeds for ‘Campanula
pyramidalis’, sometimes called the ‘Chimney Bell Flower’, for which I had been
yearning for years. I sowed the fine seed during late September up here in the
mountains near Bhurban, in good earth in a very large circular plant pot placed
in the protective shelter of both an apple and a black fig tree.
Keeping a careful check for any signs of germination, I was getting a little
apprehensive, to say nothing of disappointed, when, lo and behold, after almost
six weeks of waiting, seedlings began to emerge. I really should have sown the
seed in spring so was being rather adventurous in attempting to start them in
the autumn but, whilst I regularly preach patience to others, I tend to get
rather inpatient myself!
Needless to say, the seedlings, with their beautifully pointed leaves, were far
too small to consider transplanting before winter set in so I left them where
they were with the intention of planting them out once the snows had receded.
When I got round to it though, to my delight, I spotted the beginning of flower
stalks so, once again, it was better to leave them exactly where they were and
I’m glad that I did as I can see them from the kitchen window. They sent up
their flower stalks at an incredible rate, reaching about four feet in as many
weeks and then further rewarded me with a long lasting, spectacular display of
both dark blue and pure white bells which swayed gently in the breeze and
contrasted nicely with the tree leaves surrounding them. I am hopeful that I
will be able to harvest seed from them shortly and thus increase my stock. I
have also noticed that they are sending out lots and lots of runners and are
filling the pot up nicely, therefore, yet again, I have decided not to disturb
them at this stage. They are happy enough as it is and maybe, just maybe, they
might reach their possible height of a towering nine feet by next season. I do
hope so.
Other varieties of perennial Campanulas which should perform as annuals in hot
climates include: ‘C. persicifolia’ up to three feet with blue flowers; ‘C.
rapunculoides’, a trailer or creeper from two to four feet with blue or white
flowers and ‘C. thyrsoides’, that rarity, a yellow bell flower growing about two
to two and a half feet tall.
Ends.
Pic caps:
1. A bumble gathers nectar from a white Canterbury Bell.
2. Pink Canterbury Bells.
3. Blue Canterbury Bells in a mixed border.
4. The towering spires of ‘C.pyrimadalis’.
|
Other Overviews
|
DISCUSS
issue
problems
at
Pakissan Forum
Connect with
the
Pak Agri Community
|
Register
Today at
Pak
APIN
(Pakissan
Agri Experts and Institutes Network)
& become
part of the
Agri
Community
of
Pakistan
|
|
|
