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Campanula Sarastro

Posted by aachenelf z5 Mpls, MN (My Page) on
Sun, Jun 22, 14 at 15:04

Last year when this plant was smaller, I wasn't sure I liked it. The large, bell-shaped blooms seemed out of proportion to the plant. I guess a year makes a difference. I think it's pretty striking now. About 2 feet tall.

The only thing supporting this plant are a few, small, bamboo stakes around the outside of the plant with some garden twine tied around them. That was enough to keep everything upright the other day when we had over 4 inches of heavy rain.

I must be honest, this is the only Campanella I grow. I've tried a few others, but none of them really grabbed me. Is anyone growing another variety they really like?

Kevin


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Campanula Sarastro

Kevin,

Quickly off the top of my head, two that I have, that stay put, are "Summertime Blues" and "Freya".

What I like about SB is that it can flower in much less than full sun and will bloom all summer. "Freya" is more tight but still floriferous. I have 3 "Freya" and they are just starting to flower now.

(Here is a picture of one of them from late last June).

(Both can splay depending on the amount of sun and rain).


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RE: Campanula Sarastro

Joan Elliot, like the pic above, but shorter.


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RE: Campanula Sarastro

Campanula primulifolia, is one of my favorites I grew this one from seed in 2007, had it for a couple of years before it didn't come back. I searched and searched for more seed, finally found some and now have a flat full, not quite big enough to plant out yet but soon. Annette


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RE: Campanula Sarastro

Agree it's striking, Kevin.

Don't mind staking.

Prefer the proportions of one of the apparent parents of 'Sarastro'; namely Campanula latifolia.

Have 'Brantwood'.
Picture: June 22, 2013.


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RE: Campanula Sarastro

rouge - I like the tiered flowering. That's nice.

Annette - That is a stunner! Almost delphinium like.

Sunny - So that's one of the parents of Sarastro? Interesting. I can see the family resemblance. Very pretty and very upright which I like.

Kevin


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RE: Campanula Sarastro

I must admit, I don't give campanulas much of a chance in my garden. Doesn't help that most of the ones hardy for my zone are incredibly invasive like clustered and creeping bellflower. The only one I don't actively weed out is peach-leafed but even that one is weedy.

The ones pictured sure look nice.


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RE: Campanula Sarastro

I purchased this bellflower over 4 years ago and it is very invasive but I used it to my advantage. I have areas around my property where it hard to plant or grow anything (too many roots). I placed some of these bellflowers there and they completely covered the area. I still keep a close eye on them.


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RE: Campanula Sarastro

aachenelf, I'm a sucker for most of the Campanulas, the only one that gets away on me is C. poscharskyana. I have it wandering through a low rock wall, when finished blooming I rip it out down to it's roots. I also have 'Sarastro' but it sure doesn't look like your beauty this year, I had to move it and it's sulking. The others I have are rotundifolia and glomerata, don't have a problem with either one. The primulifolia in the picture was supposed to be thyrsoides, I got the seed from the U.K. obviously a mixup, I got a replacement from them but waited to long to plant the seed, it didn't germinate :(, still looking for seed for thyrsoides.

SunnyBorders, 'Brantwood' is a stunner, another to put on my list.

Annette


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