The plant on the left seems to have typical bell-shaped blossoms of campanula. Is it a variety? The plant on the right is not doing well because the lavender blocks the sun.

Any tips would be appreciated!
Molie

I'll look up both varieties and send the info to my daughter. Thanks!

Molie

I've always been afraid to use campanulas. I have used campanula medium from seed, that is a biennial, and I've tried campanula 'Blue Clips' and 'White Clips' which don't seem to enjoy my conditions, but that's it. I have something that looks like an Adenephora that I pull out all the time to no avail, which is the worst of my weeds, but I am not positive it is adenephora and I worry it is a campanula. I do love the look of the creepers, but I use Veronicas instead only for safety's sake.

Campanula, Easy to pull out doesn't sound too bad. The adenophora or campanula I have in the garden is relentless, you can pull it out all you want and it just grows back. I tried one summer to just cut it off at the surface every time it grew back for an entire summer and I wore out before it did. Digging it out didn't work, covering it with landscape fabric didn't work. Maybe I haven't gotten serious enough with it though.

So these harebells and fairy thimbles are out once you pull them out? They are very sweet and delicate looking with some great blue colors too.

Corydalis lutea is another wall seeder which occurs round here a lot. You can see a little C portenschlagiana peeping out from beside C lutea on these steps. Also on my walk to work.

Floral, you really do have such a pleasant walk to work! That is so pretty with the combination of the yellow and the purple. That is a mass of foliage to grow out of a crack in a wall!

Ones I can't keep alive:
Campanula cochlearifolia I've tried three times in two different gardens with three different selections of this species, 'Bavarian Blue', 'Elizabeth Oliver', and the straight species. I've tried growing it in a rock wall and near the edges of garden beds where they won't be overwhelmed by larger plants, but they don't seem to survive the winter here.
Campanula garganica 'Dickson's Gold' is another I've tried in two different gardens three times. It fades away in the heat of summer.

Ones I've grown with success:
CAMPANULA carpatica white & blue selections, at least some of which were 'Clips'. These make neat tufts that bloom for a long time.

From Campanula 2013

Campanula poscharskyana, both the species and 'Blue Waterfall' in a couple different gardens. Spreads and drapes slowly; I've grown it in a dry stacked field stone wall holding up a terrace, and along the edge of beds. Flowers are more open stars.

From Campanula 2013

Campanula portenschlagiana, both the species and 'Resholt Variety'. I find it behaves similarly to C. poscharskyana growing in a wall, though I have heard it can be somewhat too enthusiastic. I like the bell-like form.

Campanula 'Samantha' is a lovely light purple blue at the rim that fades to white in the center. The flowers are held well above the foliage and it bloomed this year, its second, from mid-July through September in my garden, though it may have taken a few small breaks.

From Campanula 2013

Campanula 'Birch Hybrid' is a porscharskyana and garganica cross and has similar foliage and bell-like flowers to them.
Campanula glomerata grew fine, but when I moved I left this one behind without regrets. It doesn't have the delicate bells on thread-like stems of the ones that I prefer. It has relatively tights clusters of mixed flowers and small foliage on stocky stems. Just not my cup of tea.

My friend bought a plant labeled Adenophora (Ladybells) that has become an impossible-to-eradicate pest. This link suggests it may be Campanula rapunculoides. But the other campanulas are wonderful.

I love C. portenschlagiana for hanging baskets, C. rotundifolia (Bluebells of Scotland) in semi-shade with ferns, and C. glomerata in the rose bed if I can keep it protected from the slugs/snails!

Phooey on Dickson's Gold. Even when I babied it in a pot it croaked. Babs, I'll try 'Samantha' again since it's done well for you. If you ever see C. isophylla Alba, grab it. I had babies to tend and let is die. Never to see offered again :-(

Thanks for sharing photos, I’d rather see it growing in someone’s garden, than just going off a catalog photo. Bluestone has Campanula cochlearifolia ‘Bavarian Blue’ which is pretty too. Claims to be hardy to z5. Is that the one you had trouble with? They have Birch hybrid which I really like.

Campanula, Bluestone also has Campanula Rotundifolia which should also work for me, because I have a lot of part shade/part sun situations to try it in.

There is a gold leaf veronica that resembles Campanula ‘Dickson’s Gold’. I couldn’t remember the name of it and just looked it up. I think there are two. One is ‘Aztec Gold’ and the other is ‘Sunshine’. I tried the ‘Aztec Gold’ and it did nothing and one season and it was gone. I know others who have used the other one successfully, which I think is ‘Sunshine’. I don’t see it offered for sale anywhere though. It seems that Stepables offers it. It reminds me of Creeping Jenny but even prettier and of course, it’s not invasive like that one is.

So another plant that is new to me to add to my list this year, so this will be great. Thanks for starting this thread, Molie and that photo you shared Floral, was the ‘hook’. :-) Thanks Campanula, for the push. :-)

Photo 3 is 'Samantha' and it is also a second year plant. I don't yet have much of a feel for how much it will spread.

I would be interested in seeing if you have better luck with C. cochlearifolia, either ‘Bavarian Blue’ or another selection. Campanula recommended it, and she is both warmer and has more limey soil than I do, and I'd be interested if your warmer climate will grow it or if perhaps I should try again with raised pH.

One thing I forgot to say - none of these are evergreen for me.

Bah, c.garganica aka Dickson's Gold - agreed, a bit rubbish. If you ever see either pulla or pulloides, get them - deep deep purple, lovely little plants.
PrairieMoon, .c.rotundifolia will get a bit straggly if grown with good living - treat it mean and it is a treasure.

Haha yes, I have grown seeds of rapunculoides for my woods (I may live to regret it but at this stage, it is the battle of the bullies). I did buy the plant from a nursery friend of mine who swears it is a non-running clone (Monksilver nursery, UK) and, in fact, it has been well behaved in its nursery bed (so far).

Floral, your climate is so different than ours. I can’t wait for April!

Campanula, I have loamy clay and plants that need lean soil, usually struggle here. I can neglect it though, for sure. [g]

I'll be seeking out c. cochlearifolia, "Samantha" and c. portenschlagiana this spring! I've also put them on my "New for 2014" wish list. I'm with PM2.... can't wait for April... even March will warm my gardening soul after this snowy winter (more snow is falling today).

Molie