I have Sarastro, but I'm not in love. It's planted in a mostly-sun part of my garden, and it's well-behaved. But after the bloom fades I'm completely unimpressed with the foliage. For me, it looks awfully ratty when not in bloom... I've been thinking about shovel-pruning it.

But I totally agree with you about the flowers. It's in bloom right now, and that deep purple just zings. It's really eye-catching.

In my part of the world, most campanulas will die if you look at them wrong. I purchased this one on the recommendation of PDN as a heat-tolerant campanula. For a first year, I was impressed by its production of dark bluish-purple flowers. I have this in a part sun situation and it's my understanding that this is a slowly spreading campanula, rather than a rampant spreader. BTW, I am also trialing C. 'Summertime Blues', which is similar in habit, but a lighter color of blue.

Yep, it's knocking the socks off at the end of the bed that runs along my driveway. Full sun basically.

'Summertime Blues' is struggling for me. It seemed to barely survive the winter, although last summer was rather impressive.

I love Sarastro! I think it can take full sun or part shade. I've got mine in a spot where it gets mostly morning sun until around 1 or so. I'd say it's a slow spreader, especially compared to some of the other campanulas, but it's gotten a lot larger than I expected it to.

Does no one else have the issue I do with the foliage? Now I'm wondering if maybe my Sarastro is unhappy with its site...

I really like mine. It is in part sun, and it gets a bit floppy when it blooms, but it has a pine tree that grew over the top of it so that might explain the flopping. The purple is a lovely color. I just wish the blooms lasted longer. I don't know what the foliage looks like when it isn't blooming as it kind of disappears into the tree. I should probably move it to a better spot but I don't think anything else would be happy there so I've left it. I've had it there for a couple of years and it hasn't spread at all.

Mine is great and I just love the colors. I have it planted in a mixed bed, and when its done and cut back it just fades into the background. Be sure to cut back hard.

Thanks for all the feedback, I think I've found the perfect spot for mine, will plant it tomorrow.

Annette

Campanula Sarastro was advertised as clumpforming, but it actually sends runners after a while. Out it went and was replaced by Purple sensation, which stays put(at least after the first two years)