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catkin_gw

Are There Low Growing Campanulas That Won't Take Over?

catkin
9 years ago

I have some dryish mostly shady areas I want to blanket but don't want to have to dig too hard if it spreads too far too quickly!

Other non-underground-runner types of low grower recs appreciated!

Thanks!

Comments (11)

  • pitimpinai
    9 years ago

    I planted 3 Campanula portenschlegiana and 3 Campanula poscharskyana about 10 years ago. They have intermingled so I do not know which is which anymore, but they stay put where I planted them. My soil is quite clayy though.

    While I travelling in Europe one spring, I saw similar campanula growing in cracks and crevices in retaining walls along train tracks. I doubt that anyone had planted them there.

    This post was edited by pitimpinai on Tue, Oct 7, 14 at 16:17

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    9 years ago

    Yes, those two mouthfuls - more easily referred to as Dalmation and Serbian bellflower, respectively - have always behaved well for me also. And Campanula garganica 'Dickson's Gold' behaves the same way and offers a bright golden aspect in a shady garden. I really like this plant.

    {{gwi:280051}}

    Another low spreader I like for a dryish shady garden is London Pride, Saxifraga x urbium 'Aureovariegata'.

    {{gwi:280052}}

    This spreads in a tight mass like hens and chicks and produces spires of delicate pink flowers in spring.

    All of these are more or less evergreen in my climate - the saxifrage definitely a winter presence.

  • catkin
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you very much! Didn't know there was a gold leafed variety--I'm out of the loop!

  • linaria_gw
    9 years ago

    Hi there, in our region the C poscharskiana is rampant and overgrows smaller neighbours.
    I can't say whether it is a climate thing or whether there are different types circulating.

    The attached link shows pics of spreading C plants that I find typicall.

    Bye, Lin

    Here is a link that might be useful: Pics of C poscharskiana

  • NHBabs z4b-5a NH
    9 years ago

    I think that Campanulas' behavior may vary depending on growing conditions, perhaps more than many plants. I have both Campanula portenschlegiana and Campanula poscharskyana. I don't find they spread particularly rampantly in my acid sandy loam soil. I haven't found that Campanula garganica 'Dickson's Gold' does well here, fading away over the course of the summer and not returning the following year. I've tried it 3 times in 2 different gardens with the same result. Unfortunate since it's such an attractive plant.

    A few of other low growing plants that are shade tolerant and slowly spread outwards for me but will play well with others if you have other plants in the area:
    Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) with shiny small evergreen leaves, tiny pink flowers, and outsize red berries that persist over the winter. It needs acid soil and average moisture is fine.
    Veronica 'Georgia Blue' has blue spring flowers and in my garden will weave around other plants.
    Astilbe chinensis 'Pumila' has short chubby pink astilbe flowers and slowly spreads through rhizomes. Like other Astilbes it doesn't like to dry out.
    Another evergreen is partridge berry Michela repens. Its leaves have a bit of white highlighting in the center, and it has small white flowers and bright red berries.
    You may also find that there are a variety of variegated Carex that work for your area. I have Carex pensylvanica and Carex 'Ice Dance', both of which spread, but not aggressively.

    I didn't check any of these plants to see if they work in your zone, but they are all low-growing, shade tolerant, and not aggressive spreaders in my zone 5 acid soil.

  • floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
    9 years ago

    It's interesting Campanula portenschlegiana grows happily in acid soil. Around here it self sows in walls i.e. lime mortar. Although it does seed about I would never consider it a problem. It's easy to pull. I've posted this photo before but it shows you this plant growing in a limy crevice unaided by human intervention.

    This post was edited by floral_uk on Wed, Oct 8, 14 at 5:23

  • dbarron
    9 years ago

    Floral_uk, such displays make me envious. There isn't enough water here to maintain perennials in walls, at least unless they're earth backed and the plants can root through.

  • pitimpinai
    9 years ago

    Flora,

    That is beautiful. That must be the same campanula that I saw on walls along train tracks in Ireland, Netherland, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany & Czech Republic. And that was the reason I planted my campanula to begin with. But mine never spread like that - not even close.

  • Campanula UK Z8
    9 years ago

    campanula cochlearifolia, aka fairy thimbles - a little gem
    C.pulla - the darkest little alpine campanula with almost navy blue drooping bells at around 6inches tall....C.pulloides is similar but not as dark
    C.rotundifolia - or harebells - long, long period of blooming but does look a bit tangled and scruffy
    C.carpatica, aka various 'clips'....although I find these bloom sporadically.]
    C.haylodgensis - one of those hanging basket double types...but very pretty
    C.isophylla - similar to above
    C.Birch Hybrid - a better behaved improved version of c.portenschlagiana
    C.incurva - a delight....but monocarpic after flowering....but easily raised from seed
    C,zoyesii - the strangest crimped bells ....an absolute beauty...but needs a warmer zone (but you should be fine, Catkin

    Then there are the smaller upright types such as barbata, collina, patens/patula and lilifolia - all good garden plants.

    If you are interested in this genus, you could do worse than seek out the helpful monograph by P.Lynch and S.Lewis, entitled simply 'Campanulas'...a useful book.

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    9 years ago

    LOL!! I guess you don't go by "campanula" for nothing!!

    Very nice listing, but IME, few of these species are very often found at retail nurseries in this country. Birch Hybrid and the clips/Carpatian, yes, but most of the others would require a souce that specializes in alpines or the genus itself. Otherwise, it is the Serbo-Croatian gang listed above and the usual....glomerata, persicfolia, punctata and a bunch of overly aggressive thugs. I think you just must have a much wider range of choices for this plant in the UK.

  • catkin
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Sorry so late getting back--lots of outdoor activities going on around here!

    Thanks for the suggestions everyone! They will all be added to my *Look Up* lists (Winter garden therapy).

    Yes, there are so many plants that I read about but aren't available in the US.

    I like the sounds of the Camps that travel but that can be pulled out easily--just why I posted this--unlike the takesimanas--which have a habit I'm trying to avoid!

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