Planting and caring for bells (in brief)

• Landing:  Sowing seeds in open ground - in October or in May. Sowing seeds for seedlings in March, planting seedlings in open ground in late May or early June.
• Bloom:  in different terms - depending on the type and variety.
• Lighting:  generally bright sunshine. In the genus there are only a few shade-loving species.
• The soil:  any, even stony and calcareous, but best of all drained loam of a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction.
• Watering:  moderate and only in dry periods.
• Garter:  tall varieties require support.
• Top dressing:  on thawed snow - nitrogen fertilizer, in the period of budding - full mineral complex.
• Reproduction:  annuals are only seeds, biennials are seeds and spring cuttings. Perennials can be propagated by parts of rhizome, root cuttings, stolons, dividing the bush, but when seed reproduction they do not retain varietal traits.
• Pests:  drooling pennits, slugs.
• Diseases:  fusarium, botrytis, sclerotinia.

Read more about growing bells below.

Flowers bells description

The most common are perennial bells, rarely - biennial and annual. The leaves of the bells are alternate, the bell-shaped flowers of blue, white and various shades of purple are gathered in a racemose or paniculate inflorescences. Sometimes there are single flowers. The fruit is a box with 4-6 slit-like holes. The bell plant can be short, medium tall and tall.

  Growing bells from seeds

Sowing bells.

The seeds of bluebells do not require advance preparation before sowing. They can be sown directly into the ground in May or towards the winter in October. But if you want them to bloom as early as this year, sow them in March for seedlings. Since the seeds are very small, they are laid out on the surface of a light, loose, permeable substrate, previously well moistened and consisting of humus, soddy earth and coarse sand in a ratio of 3: 6: 1. Fertilizer in the substrate is not necessary. The seeds are lightly pressed to the ground, sprayed with water from the sprayer, and then cover the container with a film. Contain crops at a temperature of 18-20 ºC. Shoots may appear in two or three weeks.

Seedling bells.

As soon as the seeds begin to germinate, transfer the container to a bright place, protected from direct sunlight, remove the film and care for the beetling seedlings, like any other flower seedlings: water, when the top layer of the substrate dries, loosen the soil around the seedlings, and when they are full three weeks and they will develop the first leaves, seedlings dive in a large container at a distance of 10 cm from each other. Two weeks after the picking, feed the seedlings with a liquid complex fertilizer in a low concentration

  Planting bells in open ground

When to plant bells in the ground.

In the open ground, seedlings of bluebells are planted in late May or early June. Most of the bells are light-requiring, shade-loving species grown in culture, literally units, and can be recognized by the dark green color of the leaves. Dislikes bell drafts.

As for the soil, some species grow beautifully on stony ground, some on calcareous, however most of the species prefer neutral or slightly alkaline well-drained loamy soils. Bells are planted in the ground after its preliminary preparation: sand and humus are introduced into deep soils, and turf soil and fertilizers are brought to poor soils. Do not bring only fresh manure and peat, as this increases the risk of plant damage by fungal diseases.

How to plant bells in the ground.

Bells are planted in open places, away from bushes and trees, so that their roots can receive the necessary amount of moisture and nutrition. Low-growing bells are planted at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other, bells of medium height at a distance of 20-30 cm, and tall - with an interval of 40-50 cm. After planting, the ground around the flowers is trampled and watered well.

  Care for the bells in the garden

How to care for bells.

Growing bells is no different from growing any other garden flowers - bells are unpretentious. Water them only when a prolonged heat and dryness is established. After watering, it is convenient to loosen the soil around the flowers and remove weeds. Tall bells as necessary tied to a support. Bells are fed for the first time in the spring, on thawing snow, with nitrogen fertilizer. The second fertilizing complex fertilizer carried out in the first half of summer, at the beginning of budding. To prolong the flowering of bluebells, timely remove wilted flowers.

The propagation of bells.

Annual bells are propagated by seeds, biennials - by seeds and spring cuttings. Perennial bells can be propagated by root cuttings, parts of rhizomes, division of the bush and stolons, since they do not always retain varietal characteristics during seed reproduction. Terry varieties of bluebells do not tie seeds, so they are propagated exclusively by vegetative methods.

Perennial species of bluebells with a carpal or stem root system are considered as vegetatively motionless, and propagated by seed. Those species with a short rhizome are considered vegetatively inactive - they are propagated by dividing and grafting. Vegetatively mobile are considered to be species with long creeping rhizomes, which reproduce both by seed, division and grafting, as well as segments of rhizome and root suckers.

We have described the seed seed breeding method to you, but you can sow the seeds in the middle of October right into the ground, where they will undergo natural stratification during the winter months and will spring together in the spring, and all you have to do is plant seedlings. You can sow the seeds in the ground in May, but then they need to be stratified for two months in the vegetable box of the refrigerator, and since the annual bells reproduce perfectly by self-sowing, is it worth complicating your life by doing seed stratification?

The cuttings of bluebells are harvested in spring, in March-April, they are cut from young stem or basal shoots, planted in a light, loose substrate and placed under a film canopy to create high humidity. It is best to use for this purpose a greenhouse and a special installation for spraying fog. The growth of the roots of the cuttings occurs within three to four weeks.

The division of the bush is carried out in the third or fifth year of the plant’s life, but some species can be divided in the second year. At the beginning of May or at the end of summer, large bushes are dug out and, after cutting the stalks, they are divided into sharp pieces with a sharp sterile knife, each of which must have developed roots and renewal buds, and then cut sections with crushed coal and immediately plant delenki in a permanent place.

During reproduction, parts of rhizomes dig up a creeping root of a plant, divide it into parts so that in each segment there are renewal buds, and they are planted into the ground in such a way that the buds are at the level of the soil surface.

Root offsprings need to be separated from the parent plant and immediately transplanted to a permanent place.

Pests and diseases of the bell.

Blooming bells look very cute, but this is not the only advantage of flowers. They are so unpretentious that planting and caring for a bell is a pleasure and does not require time and effort. The bells are immune to diseases and pests and are very rarely affected by them, however, with many years of growing flowers, pathogenic microorganisms - fusarium, sclerotinia or botrytis - accumulate at one place in the ground - which can lead to the death of the plant. To prevent this from happening, twice per season, in spring and autumn, handle bells with a 0.2 percent solution of Fundazol.

In wet weather, the bells may appear slobbering, which is expelled by the infusion of garlic. Low-growing bells can be damaged by slugs, from which plants are sprayed with a decoction of bitter pepper and sprinkled under the flowers of superphosphate granules.

  Perennial bells after flowering

How and when to collect the seeds of bells.

If you want to get seeds of your favorite species, then do not wait for the boxes to be opened, cut off the inflorescences left on the seeds in advance, as soon as the boxes become brown, and dose them in a ventilated dry room.

Preparation of bluebells for the winter.

Planting and caring for the perennial bell is no different from the cultivation of annual or biennial species, except that they need to be prepared for winter. In late September or early October, the stalks of all bells are cut off at the root. On this care for annual flowers over. As for biennial and perennial species, many of them overwinter without shelter, but southern species should be covered with dry leaves or covered with spruce leaves. Tall bells fall asleep with a layer of humus or dry peat 15-20 cm high. For perennial bells to survive the winter, this will be enough.

  Types and varieties of bells

Annual types of bluebells come from the southern regions, therefore, in areas with temperate or cool climates, they are rarely grown. The most famous of them are:

The bell is one-year

- a short (up to 10 cm) plant from the Caucasus, Balkans, the Mediterranean and Asia Minor with a bright blue tubular corolla. It blooms from May to early autumn. Used for borders and rock gardens;

The bell is dichotomous,  or forked  from the Western Caucasus. It reaches a height of 15–20 cm in height, has numerous light-violet flowers and broadly ovate leaves;

Kashmir bell grows in the Himalayas and in the Pamirs, reaching a height of only 6-8 cm. The flowers are purple, small, up to 1.5 cm in length, but there are many of them and they bloom for a long time;

  - Caucasian endemic, growing on gravelly soil and in rock crevices. In height, this highly branched plant reaches half a meter, it blooms in May-July with paniculate inflorescences consisting of 50-60 jug-bell-shaped purple flowers with a diameter of up to 4 cm with a bloated base and a calyx with deviated sharp teeth;

Bell Bell of Venus  come from the Mediterranean mountains, from Great Britain and Holland. In culture, this species is known from the end of the XVI century. The bell, or lung, reaches a height of 15 to 30 cm in height. The saucer-like flowers, blue with a lilac shade and white middle, are up to 2 cm in diameter and are collected in paniculate blossoms that bloom from early summer to September. This species has varieties with white flowers.

Biennial bells

represented by such species:

Bearded bell  - grows in nature in the subalpine belt of the Mediterranean. It reaches a height of 4 to 30 cm. The flowers are drooping, goblet-bell-shaped, pale blue, up to 3 cm long. This species blooms in June and July. In culture since 1752;

Hoffman's bell  - from the Balkans and the Adriatic. This is a highly branched plant with a height of 30 to 50 cm with a large number of large drooping flowers of white or cream-colored, revealing in June and July;

Bell tirsovidny  and spiky bell  - plants with spike-shaped inflorescences of funnel-shaped flowers of light yellow color in the bell of thyrsus-shaped and bright-purple in the bell-flower of goose;

Large bellflower  grows in nature in the Balkans, in Europe and Asia Minor. The plant reaches a height of 70 to 120 cm. Its flowers, with tubular pale violet corolla, collected in whorls of 6-7 pieces, open in June-July;

The bell is average  grows naturally in southwestern Europe and in Asia. In culture, this biennial is sometimes grown as an annual plant. It has an upright stem from 50 to 100 cm in height and white-bell-shaped white, blue or pinkish flowers, simple or double, up to 7 cm long, gathered in pyramidal inflorescences. In culture, the view from 1578;

Originally from Europe and Siberia. It is a densely pubescent plant with a height of 70 to 100 cm with small blue sessile flowers, clustered in almost capitate above and folded buds.

In addition to the described, such biennial bells as the Mesian, Siberian, divergent, sprawling, pyramidal, laurel, Formaneka, spatulate, Sartori and orphanidas are known.

All other species are perennial bells, which in turn are divided into short, medium and tall.

Low-growing types of perennial bells:

  - the most common species in culture comes from the Carpathians and the mountains of Central Europe. It is a perennial up to 30 cm tall with leafy stems, basal rosette of ovoid leaves on long petioles and ovate short-stemmed stem leaves. Flowers in plants of this species are solitary, funnel-bell-shaped, blue, purple or white, up to 5 cm in diameter. They bloom from June for more than two months. In culture, the view from 1770. The most famous garden forms bell Carpathian:

• – Alba  and White star  - varieties with white flowers;
• – Celestine  and Isabel  - sky blue bells;
• – Centon Joy, Riversley, Blaumeise  - varieties with blue flowers;
• – Carpatenkrone  - form with purple flowers;
• – Clip  - A miniature plant up to 20 cm in height with flowers up to 5 cm in diameter. Can be grown both in open ground and in room culture;

Gargan bell  - perennial up to 15 cm in height with fragile creeping ascending stems, rounded three-pronged leaves and blue stellate flowers up to 4 cm in diameter. In culture since 1832. The best varieties of the species are:

• – Major  - variety with pale blue flowers;
• – W.H. Paine  - flowers of a light lavender shade with a white eye;

The bell is spiral-leaved,  or spoonbladder  grows in nature in the Carpathians and the Alps. The plant is miniature, up to 15 cm high. Stems creeping. Drooping flowers of blue, blue or white to 1 cm in diameter are collected in small inflorescences. In culture since 1783. The most famous varieties:

• – Alba  - white bell;
• – Loder  - variety with double flowers of blue color;
• – Miss Wilmott  - variety with blue flowers;

  - a miniature plant from the Far East with single violet-blue flowers with a diameter of up to 3 and a length of up to 4 cm with a woody rim along the edge. There is a white flowered form.

In addition to the described, such stunted species of perennial bluebells are known as birch-leaved, hairy, soddy, saxifrage, Kemularia, margarite-colored, one-flowered, Osh, Ortan, povynichkovy, border, Radde, Rainer, clyed, dark, darkish, three-toothed, and Border, Radde, Rainer, cinnamon, dark, dark, tridental and Iberian, Border, Radde, Rainer, cinnamon, dark, dark, trident and Iberian, border, Radde, Rainer, cinnamon, dark, dark, tridental and Iberian, border, Radde, Rainer, cinnamon, dark, dark, trident and Iberian, border, Radde, Rainer, cinnamon, dark, dark, trident and Iberian, borderline, Radde, Rainer, cinnamon, dark, dark, tridental and Iberian, border, Radde, Rainer, cinnamon, dark, dark, trident and Iberian

Perennial bells of medium height

represented by such species:

Bell Takeshima  in nature it grows in Korea and the Iranian Highlands. It is a perennial, reaching a height of 60 cm and forming a group of basal rosettes. Numerous stems of this species are creeping, creeping, rising. Simple or double flowers of blue, white or pink color bloom in early summer. Top grades:

• – Beautiful trust  - variety with large white arachnid-shaped flowers;
• – Wedding Belz  - variety with double white bell-shaped flowers;

Bell Komarova

- Caucasian endemics of amazing beauty up to 45 cm in height with a branching stem and numerous large flowers of bright light-purple shade up to 3 cm long with sharply turned lobes;

grows in the Far East and Siberia. Its thin fibrous stem reaches a height of 50 cm. Numerous hairy leaves in the root area on reddish petioles, ovoid, lanceolate or sharp. Large drooping pubescent bell-shaped bell-shaped flowers on long stalks of a dirty-white color are covered both from the outside and from the inside by purple dots. Top grades:

• – Rubra  - variety with bright flowers;
• – Alba Nana  - variety with white flowers only up to 20 cm high;

Hand bell Sarastro

- Hybrid view of the bell-shaped bell with very bright purple flowers up to 7 cm long. The height of the bush reaches 60 cm, diameter - 45 cm.

In addition to the described types, the middle-species include the Tatryan bells, polymorphic, rhomboid, Moravian, linen, Spanish, remarkable, karnik, Marhesettti, round-leaved, hollowed out, hill, Turchaninova, Sarmatian, garlic, Grosssek, palestryst, and in the same way, it is in the form of a kind of aus, and a kind of a kind of aus, a kind of austate, and a kind of a kind of thing is left, and a kind of ausrystism is applied, and in the same way, in the same way, it is in a form of a kind of aus, aus, and a kind of a kind of aesthethylethystricism is a kind of a kind of aesthetized and hilarious, carnivorous, Spanish, wonderful, karnik, Marchesetti, round-bottomed .

For tall types of bells include:

Bell broadleaf,  which grows in nature in the Caucasus, in Southern and Central Europe, in Siberia, Asia Minor, in the European part of Russia and in Ukraine in deciduous, dark coniferous and mixed forests and along river banks. It has a straight, bare stem with a height of more than 1 m, bare, doubly serrated leaves up to 12 cm long and 6 cm wide, and large axillary flowers forming a rarely sprucely narrow spica-shaped brush. Voronkovidnye flowers up to 6 cm long blue, white or blue with slightly bent blades bloom in June and August. In culture, this species since 1576. The most famous varieties:

• – Alba  - with white flowers;
• – Brantwood  - variety with purple flowers;
• – Macranta  - variety with dark purple large flowers;

It grows in the Caucasus, in Western Siberia, the European part of Russia, in Ukraine and Western Europe. This plant is from 50 to 100 cm tall with erect leafy stems, smooth and jagged leaves like peach leaves, and wide-bell-shaped large flowers up to 5 cm long in white, blue or lilac-blue shade, collected several pieces in a broom. This species has crown and terry forms. Flowering begins in the second half of June and lasts more than a month. In the culture of bell peach since 1554. The most famous varieties of the species:

• – Bernis  - variety with blue terry flowers;
• – Thetam Beauty  - variety with light blue flowers of large size;
• – Exmaus  - a variety with dusty-blue double flowers;
• – Snowdrift  - a plant with white bells;
• - variety mixture New Jaint Highbreeds  - plants up to 75 cm in height with large flowers of white and all shades of blue;

Bluebell flower

in nature it grows in Asia Minor and the Caucasus. This plant is from 50 to 150 cm tall with a taproot, which allows it to grow well in heavy loamy soil. Milky white bell-shaped flowers, up to 4 cm in diameter, are collected in a raceme. They are revealed in June and bloom until the end of summer. In culture, the view from 1814. The main varieties of this species are:

• – Cerulea  - variety with flowers of blue shade:
• – Alba  - A plant with white flowers;
• – Pritchard Verieti  - plant up to 150 cm tall with lavender-blue flowers;

In addition to the described, such tall bells are known as the rapun-shaped, crowded, Bologna, noble-large-flowered and nettle-leaved.

Bells. These gentle romantic meadow and wild flowers will be appropriate and organic in the garden of any style and are able to decorate any flower garden.

Bells in the garden

Mountain undersized forms are irreplaceable in, medium and tall bells will perfectly fit into the “rustic” style of country music, ampelous varieties will be good in and will perfectly decorate. Different types and varieties of bells can be used for borders, flower beds, you can create interesting bells from different sized bells, you can hide unsightly areas in the garden with high bells.

Hand bells - garden flowers

Campanulas (Campánula) - gentle, modest grassy flowers, different cupped shape of the flower, like a bell, for which they got their name.
Bells, there are many species, about three hundred. They can be as high as 1.5 meters, and as low as 5 centimeters. They can be erect bushes, and can be a creeping ampelous plant. Also, the bells are divided into summer greens and winter greens. Winter-green species are often used in the form of a pot culture for a window sill, for example, a warrior, gargantic, bell Cemularia, Radde, equi-bell. Most of the bells are perennials, but some species are biennials or perennials.

The main types of bells:

1. Carpathian bells   (Campanula carpatica) - plant height of about 20-40 cm, forms a bush, having a spherical shape. Leaves heart-shaped at the roots have a length of about 5 cm, and on the stems are smaller. Blooms profusely from early July to mid-September with blue large single flowers. Easily multiply by self seeding. Used in rock gardens.

2. Nettle bells  (Campanula trachelium)  - perennial tall plant, when growing prefer shaded places. Used in single or group plantings.

3. Bells are lacticolus   (Campanula lactiflora) - perennial plants up to 1 meter tall. The flowers are collected in pyramidal inflorescences and may have a white and various shades of purple color. The plant is a brushroot, has strongly branchy shoots. Blooms profusely in June-July. Propagated by seeds. It is used in single and group plantings, as a plant-soliter.

4. Spikelets   (Campanula cochleariifolia) is a perennial creeping plant, capable of forming solid turf, very decorative until frost. Blooms profusely in medium-sized white or blue drooping flowers, collected in inflorescences. Flowers can be simple and terry. It can multiply by self seeding.

5. Bells peach   (Campánula persicifólia) - a brush root plant, which is a rosette of leaves from which the peduncle rises about 60-100 cm tall, has small dark green leaves and a racemose inflorescence of white or blue flowers, some forms of these bells have double flowers. Flowering continues almost throughout the summer, you only need to remove wilted flowers, leaving some lower testes to seed. It can multiply by self seeding. Suitable for planting as a soliter plant in a flower garden or for single or group plantings.

6. Bells of Pozharsky   (Campanula poscharskyana) - plants forming dense cushions of heart-shaped leaves and peduncles, about 20 cm in height. Abundantly blooms from July to September with broad-dome-shaped, almost star-shaped flowers of a light plum-blue color. The plant is suitable for alpine slides, looks good on retaining walls, and is also suitable for planting in containers.

7. Broadleaf bells   (Campanula latifolia) - tall plants up to 1.5 meters, form lush bushes, will look good in single plantings in the middle of a lawn or near a reservoir. It is also good in mixed plantings along with plants such as delphinium, peonies, phloxes, black cohosh, blood-red geraniums and ferns. Plants are shade-tolerant, look great on the background of trees and shrubs. Plants bloom from July to August, after flowering the plant loses its decorative effect.

8. Rapuncelled bells   (Campanula rapunculoides) - shade-tolerant plants with wide purple flowers. Suitable for planting in shady corners and under trees.

9. Bells Portenshlag(Campanula portenschlagiana)  form compact pillows 10-25 cm tall. Blooms profusely in purple, medium-sized star-shaped flowers. Suitable for growing on alpine slides.

10. Crowded bells(Campanula glomerata)  - got the name because of the gathered together, as if "in a bunch" of flowers, have a height of about 50 cm are used to design borders, flower beds and country-style rabatok.

11. Point bells   (Campanula punctata) - are considered the most unpretentious, have large flowers of violet, white or pink color.

12. Bells ravnolistnye  (Campanula isophylla)- ampelous plants, mainly used as pot culture, but also suitable for planting in various containers, flowerpots and hanging baskets. Among the people, plants of an equipolar bell with white flowers are called “bride”, and with blue “bridegroom”. Now terry forms of this bell are bred.

In growing bells are not particularly picky. They like drained neutral soils, and mountain species like leveled soils. Plants do not tolerate stagnant water. To prolong the flowering period, faded flowers should be removed on time. Shoots are usually pruned for winter. Some species need light shelter for the winter, for example, such southern plants as gargantsky, pyramidal and middle bells.

For its shape, resembling a bell in miniature, the bell received not only Russian, but also the official Latin name - campanula. The people also called chenille, bells, even chebots in some places. In Russia, they believed that on the feast of Ivan Kupala one could hear their crystal bells. I remember a child in the fields not once met these fragile, delicate flowers. Now they delight the eye in my own garden.

The bellflower belongs to the family of the Bellflower family, it is a perennial herb that has conquered not only fields, meadows, but even mountains. Less often you can find annual bells.

The form of bellflower inflorescences can be in the form of a whisk or a brush to which the flowers are attached. But whatever the blossoms, the shape of the flower, you can easily understand who is in front of you. The color of the flowers can be varied: purple, blue, pink, white, blue.

And for true connoisseurs of this flower you can find bells of unusual color and shape. For many years, the bell evokes interest among breeders. Now there are varieties with double flowers or with a corolla cup of a flower, there are even edible species.

Planting a bell

Some species of this flower may have their own characteristics of development, but still there are a number of basic rules when planting a bell.

Choose a sunny spot for landing. The bell does not tolerate stagnant water and close proximity. If the roots have stagnant water, the plant may freeze in winter.

Bells grow well and develop on light soils, loams. Heavy soils can be diluted with sand, in poor - add fertilizer, sod land.

Under the landing is better to prepare a place in advance. To do this, dig up the area well, take care that the water is well drained, remove the weeds and add rotted manure and. Peat and fresh manure are not recommended to be added to the soil, otherwise the risk of fungal diseases is high.

Plant bells should be on the soil with a neutral reaction, but there are species, especially growing in the mountains, which require good soil with a weak alkaline reaction for good development. If the soil is slightly acidic, add.

Caring for the bell

From personal experience I can say that watering the bells requires moderate, sometimes they do without watering at all.

As for fertilization, in the spring, during the growth of the bell, feed it. I always add wood ash right on top of the soil. Sometimes I mulch the surface around the bell with rotted manure. In the past year, the course went humus from the content of rabbits.

Before the appearance of buds, weakly concentrated mineral fertilizers can be used for top dressing.

The bell does not like the dominance of weeds, as well as dense soil, so do not forget about loosening.

The beauty of flowering of this plant can be extended by removing faded flower stalks. And when the seed boxes become brown, it is necessary to cut them so that the pores do not have time to open and sow the seeds.

The propagation of the bell

The bellflower propagates vegetatively (with segments of rhizome, root suckers, dividing the bush) and seeds. When breeding a bell, you need to look at what kind of in front of you. Annual plants can be propagated only by seeds, biennial species by seeds and green cuttings in the spring.

Perennial species are more likely to propagate vegetatively, with the exception of species whose roots are in the form of a rod or a brush. They are considered vegetatively immobile, therefore they multiply by seeds. Bellflower species with branched roots, but short, are propagated both by seeds and vegetatively, except for segments of rhizomes. Segments of rhizomes most often propagate plants with a long rhizome.

Seed bolls are collected and dried, after which the pores open and small black seeds are poured out of them. You can sow them right in the fall, before the cold, or in the spring - immediately into the ground, but you can also grow the seedlings and plant them in the soil already in the phase of three true leaves. But land only after the end of the spring morning frosts.

Seeds of bells of various types and varieties can be found in our catalog, where the products of many online stores of seeds and planting materials are presented.

46 526 To favorites

Surely, the Latin name of this plant - Campanula - will not cause any associations for beginning flower growers. In the meantime, this is how the garden perennial bell is called in the botanical reference books - one of the favorite flowers of the inhabitants of the middle lane. According to the description, the flowers of the bell are indeed very similar to small bells, for which he received its name in Russia.

Photo and description of how the bell looks

The perennial flowers of bluebells are grassy flower plants of the bellflower family. In a culture there are also annual and biennial plants. Among them are both high (up to 2 m in height) and undersized (5-7 cm). Plant height does not characterize the species. It may vary depending on the growing conditions.

Look at the photo, look like bells of different types:

Stems are erect, branched, both smooth and pubescent, there are climbing species. In perennial bells flowering occurs in the second year after sowing the seeds. They are valuable abundance and duration of flowering, which runs from June to frost.

Grow well in the sun and in the shade. They are suitable for any well-drained, non-acidic, moderately moist soil. Plant and transplant both, and.

Flowers of bellflower melliferous. They contain a large amount of pollen and nectar, have the aroma of fragrant meadows, shady forest glade.

The fruit is a box. Its structure is special: in its lower part it has holes covered with valves. In dry weather, the valves open, pour out and are carried by the wind, and in wet weather they are closed. Seed color - from milky white to dark red depending on the species.

Like bells, it is known to almost everyone, but few know that these plants have the ability to change the shape of the leaves and the color of the corolla, depending on the humidity of the air. With moisture saturation, the flowers become lighter.

Types and varieties of perennial bells (with photos)

Below are photos and descriptions of the bells of the most common species and varieties:

The nettle-bell  - perennial. The plant is high (up to 1 m). Branched root, ribbed stem, with stiff short hairs. Leaves on short petioles, triangular, ovate, sessile. Flowers 1-3 in the axils of the upper leaves. Inflorescence - loose brush up to 45 cm long.

Pay attention to the photo - in this type of bell the corolla is blue or purple, less often white:

In the culture there are garden forms - terry - purple and white.

The plant is very hardy, unpretentious and therefore widely distributed in floriculture.

Round bellflower  - widespread perennial. Especially popular in the middle lane, the Caucasus and Siberia. Received its name for the round basal leaves. Plant height from 10 to 60 cm. Rhizome thin, branched, creeping. Stalk one or more.

A distinctive feature of this species is the early drying out and the subsidence of basal leaves - already during the flowering of the plant. Stem leaves, fresh and green, remain until the deepest autumn. Small flowers, blue, located at the ends of the branches of the paniculate inflorescence. There are varieties used in floriculture : arctic, velvety, garden.

Of the varieties of the most popular bell carpathian "Gnome" - This is one of the most unpretentious members of the family. Compact rounded bushes are characterized by long flowering (from June to September).

As seen in the photo, this variety of perennial bell flowers are white or blue:

Plant height does not exceed 30 cm.

Bell average "Crimson ring"  - the mixture is amazing in its beauty and variety of delicate colors of large double flowers.

Hand bell "Droplet"a mixture. Very large flowers of delicate colors will decorate any flower bed and are well preserved in the cut.

Of other types of interest are:   campanula bell, peach bell, collection bell, or crowded, Siberian bell.

Representatives of the bell family for many centuries grown in gardens, because even wild species of these plants are elegant and attractive.

Bells are not only decorative, but also medicinal plants, many of which are used in traditional medicine. And such types of bells as krapivolistny, broadleaf, peachleaf, medium, lacticulum. can be used in the kitchen - the leaves and stems are added to salads, and the roots stew with vegetables.

Bells - the name and description of species

The most extensive genus is actually campanula, includes more than 300 species. And among them you can find plants for every taste and suitable for any conditions.

For those who want to admire the bells not only in summer, there are winter-green species - people from the Mediterranean and the Caucasus ( the bell is medium, the bell is gargansky, the bell is Portenshlag, the bell is Radde) - they can be used as a room culture, as well as for forcing and cutting (r. Medium).

Most of the species grown in the garden, blooms in June-July, the duration of their flowering from 2 weeks to 1.5 months. Among the early flowering can be called three-toothed bell  Bell Osh, in the second half of the summer, the bellflower is ravnolistny their flowers, bell pyramid, and species such as carpathian bell and spoonbladebloom all summer.

In terms of life, bells are very different - there are annual species ( one-year, dichotomous), and species living for 6-8 years ( to. broadleaf, to. Carpathian). Has the greatest longevity bell flower, individual copies of which can live for more than 20 years.

In relation to the soil conditions, the bells are also very diverse. Very unpretentious and can grow in a variety of conditions. to. crowded, to. round-leaved  - they can be found in nature both in the forest, and in the meadows, and in the steppes. Mountain views are quite capricious - they require good drainage and often need to add lime ( to. Komarova, to. spoonbill, to. one-year). For the vast majority of species, neutral and slightly alkaline soils are suitable. For irrigation, the bells are mostly undemanding, and if the year is not dry, then natural precipitation is enough for them. Areas filled with rain and spring waters are not suitable for bells.

Most species are light-requiring, for them you need to choose a sunny place. But forest species with wide dark green leaves can tolerate even thick shadow - these are bluebells. nettle, broadleaf, point.

Depending on the structure of the root system, bells can grow compactly, and can spread out, and quite strongly. Especially aggressively grow to. point, to. rapuntelevidny, bell Takeshima. The nettle-bell also requires supervision - it provides abundant self-seeding that can clog the whole neighborhood.

Of HIGH  Bluebells are often grown broad-leaved and krapi-wavy. Flower stalks grow from them above 1 m. They can grow well in the shade, flowers of white and blue color. Like all tall bells, after flowering, these species significantly lose their decorative effect, therefore, the withered stems must be removed on time, including in order not to clog the plot with self-sowing. These plants are well planted in the background of the flower bed, where, after flowering, they will not be very noticeable. Another species has recently become actively settled in the gardens - it is a bell flower. During flowering, it resembles a flower pyramid, reaching a height of 1.5-2 m. There are varieties of different colors, but from experience it is better to overwinter plants grown from seeds, they are always better to have in the garden for safety net.

AMONG MIDDLE  popular to. point and to. Takeshima. They have dull-pink flowers with abundant purple mottling, especially inside the drooping narrow corolla. Plant them with caution, as these species are actively spreading. They bloom very abundantly and for a long time. There are interesting hybrids obtained with the participation of these species.

LOW-SPEED BELLS look very attractive, but not all are easy to grow. The most common of them is the Carpathian bell. In nature, this species is considered endangered, and in gardens it is found very often. Despite the small size of the plant, its flowers are large, up to 5 cm in diameter, and the size of the flower is maintained even in miniature forms, the color can be from white to dark purple. This bell for the extension of flowering necessarily need to remove faded flower stalks.

Now they are often keen on growing flowers in hanging baskets and flowerpots, and an equal-shaped bell is suitable for such purposes (it has white and blue varieties that can be planted together), Gargan (forming long blooming beards). Many bells are grown for cutting - they stand well in bouquets.

Biennial types of bells can be used for winter forcing. In the fall, they are transplanted into pots with a clod of earth and kept in a cool room at a temperature of up to 10 °. keeping the soil only slightly moist. A month and a half before the scheduled flowering date, they begin to water and feed with a weak solution of complex fertilizers for flowering houseplants.

Growing bells

The most difficult in the cultivation of bells, which in nature grow on mountainous rocky areas. For their prosperous life, it is necessary to create special conditions; a stony slide device is required. Plants of alpine meadows and forest species are much less capricious.

Breeding

All bells, with the exception of varietal, well propagated by seeds. For annual species, this is the only breeding method. True, due to the fact that annual bells are mainly of southern origin, we rarely grow them. Biennial species are also propagated with the help of seeds or by dividing rosettes in spring. For perennial species with a core root system, seed propagation is also the most common.

Planting bells

The seeds of bells are rather small, so it is better not to sow them directly into the ground, but to use boxes or bowls for sowing.

You can sow before winter or spring in the garden or else grow seedlings indoors.

Seeds are sown superficially, only lightly powdered with earth. After sowing, it is better not to water them, but to sprinkle them plentifully, this will prevent the seeds from deepening much. Capacities with seeds sown need to cover. The easiest way to put them in a transparent plastic bag. If there is no special illumination, it does not make sense to sow before March.

Shoots appear after 10-15 days, and they must immediately be transferred to the lighted place and open. Shoots must be sprayed so that they do not wither. But it is impossible to overdo it with moisture - young plants, especially if they are densely sown, can get sick. Therefore, seedlings are always thinned, so that there is no thickening.

At this stage, species with taproot are best planted immediately in separate containers so as not to injure them during transplantation. These bells are planted in the garden immediately to a permanent place - they do not like transplanting, and often can not tolerate it.

Grown up seedlings are planted in the ground in June. The bells grown through seedlings, have time to develop well enough for the season to overwinter and to bloom next year. Plants grown directly in the soil, develop more slowly.

Now there are many varieties that can only be propagated vegetatively - by dividing the bush or grafting.

Cuttings are cut in early spring, when the plant is just beginning to grow. Cuttings can be treated with a stimulant and immediately planted, covered with cut plastic bottles. Planting is placed in the shade so that the cuttings are not burned in the sun.

Care

For a long time you can cut the cuttings in the Carpathian bell. After the removal of the small boxes with the formed seeds, the small bell of the peach flower can form small seeds on the stem, which can be treated like cuttings. They can even be left to spend the winter under the bottles, which are removed only in the spring.

Planting and replanting bells can be in the spring and autumn. Species that have a compact, shallow root system can be transplanted with a clod of earth during the entire season, even during flowering.

Early in the spring, the bells can be supplemented with nitrogen fertilizer, pour under the bushes of humus and ash. Before budding the plants can be fed with complete mineral fertilizer.

Removing faded flowers and flower stalks, you can prolong the flowering of bluebells. If seeds are needed, then some of the boxes are left, but they need to be monitored so that the seeds do not have time to get enough sleep on the ground. In late September, all the stems of the bells are cut off at the root. Shelter for the winter in the vast majority of these plants do not require.

Adult plants are rarely affected by diseases and pests, but lately many snails have been bred in the gardens, which can cause significant damage, especially to undersized species with abundant foliage.

What kinds of bells are the most popular? Palm holds the bell mid. Despite the fact that it is a biennial, it is actively grown, deriving numerous varieties. This bell has a form with flowers of real pink color, as well as white, different shades of blue and lilac, there are flowers of varying degrees of terry. Its flowers reach a diameter of 7 cm, abundant bloom, from June to August. It can be used as a pot and distillation culture.

Bells in essence ...

Besides the bells themselves, other representatives of this families - bells, codonopsis, and especially popular in recent times have become wide bells (Platycodon). The stems of this plant are up to 0.5 m in height; large, wide-open flowers, up to 8 cm in diameter, bloom at their apex. Very original buds - they resemble round lanterns. The flowers of a species plant are blue and white, but in culture there are forms of other colors, for example pink, there are light forms with contrasting bright veins.

Shirokolokolchik easily grown from seed, in the adult state does not like transplant. It grows quite late in the spring, and under it you can plant small-bulbous early spring flowering. It blooms for a long time, starting from mid-June, especially valuable because many other bells have faded by this time. It grows well in the sun, but tolerates partial shade.

Growing bells in the garden

Bells are such simple flowers that are cute and familiar from childhood. With what joy we gathered the unimaginable beauty of bouquets of sky-blue bells on the meadow or on the edge of the forest! And now they are the inalienable decoration of garden beds, above all, gardens in a natural style or in a rustic garden.

Bells care

Bells - non-caprious plants. The soils are completely undemanding, but will grow better on well-treated, drained, nutritious and non-acidic soils. The only thing they can not stand is water stagnation. In such conditions, they may die during the winter.

In the spring before the start of growth, the bells must be fed with nitrogenous fertilizers.

In October, all the stalks of the plant are cut at the root.

Breeding

Bells are propagated both by seeds and vegetatively - by segments of rhizomes and root suckers, by dividing the bushes during transplantation, by green cuttings.

Sowing seeds

Small seeds are sown with the sand in the ground in May Seed germinates on the 10-12th day.

Seedlings are sown in March. Sow superficially in small bowls, sprinkled on top of a thin layer of sand. Shoots appear quickly. When they grow up, they take a pick. In the ground young seedlings are planted in early June.

Division and transplanting bells

Bells are transplanted in spring and autumn, usually for 3-5 years of bush life. It is necessary to divide the bush so that each delenka has a good root system and several new buds.

Bell in the garden

Due to the variety of colors of flowers and forms of the bush, abundant and prolonged flowering bells are often used in the design of mixborders, rockeries, as a pot and for cutting.

Tall bells look very good next to phlox, ehina-tseey and rudbeckia. The large monogroup of bells will be good and separately against the background of the lawn.

Stunted species are incomparable in any rock garden - in rock arias, on a hill or as a border plant along paths or along the edges of flower beds.

Diversity

The genus includes about 300 species. These are mainly perennials, but there are also biennials; annual plants are very rare.

In almost all species, the flowers have a bell-shaped form, very rarely wide open. Coloring of petals - from white and blue to blue, lilac and violet. There are flowers of pink color. There are varieties with double and semi-double flowers.

Types of perennial bells - photo

  Types of flowers of bluebells - photo

Tall

• The bell is pyramidal (up to 2 m).
• Bell peach (50-90 cm). Grades: Bernice, Pride of Exmus, Telham Beauty, Snowdrift, New Giant Hybrid, Grand Diflora Alba.
• Bell broadleaf (120-150 cm). Grades: Makranta, Alba, Brantwood.
• Bluebell flower (80-120 cm).

Medium thick

• The bell is crowded (60 cm).
• Bell Takesimana (up to 50 cm).

Undersized

• The bell is pointed (30-50 cm). Variety: Pink Red.
• Bluebell Carpathian, up to 40 cm. Grade: Blaue Clips.
• Bellflower cubical (15-25 cm).
• Spoon bell-type bell ("mat" up to 15 cm high).
• Gargan bell (10-12 cm).
• Bell Pozharsky (15-20 cm). Grade: Silberregen.

Biennial

• The bell is average (50-100 cm).

Large branches are painted in dark blue, white, purple, blue, pink colors. It has many garden forms: large-flowered, terry, crown, variegated.

A blooming garden is not only my passion, but in a sense, the work of a lifetime. I sincerely rejoice in every flower in my garden, but, as often happens, I have my own favorites. I want to tell about one of them - this is a middle bell.

What is he like?

From a wide variety of garden bells, my heart was forever conquered by this kind. This is an unusually beautiful plant! During flowering, all eyes are riveted to him. From a distance it is even difficult to determine that these are bells. Its flowers are simple, in the form of a glass, and terry, which resemble a cup and saucer. By the way, one of the varieties received just such a name. And its terry flowers very much remind eustoma - the Irish rose.

The bell is medium - herbaceous biennial plant (flowering in the second year after sowing). I grow it in rassadny way. Most often, the seeds are sold under the general name "Medium Bell" or "Medium Bell Mix". In the bag there may be seeds of flowers of different colors: white, blue, pink, which in itself is very good, you do not need to buy a few envelopes of seeds with different colors.

Sowing on seedlings

The seeds of the bell are rather small, I sow them on wet soil and sprinkle them with a thin layer of fine wet sand. I put the dish on the glass and put it in a warm, bright place, as a rule, I do it on the 8th of March. Seeds give friendly shoots after about 10 days. I do not take off the glass immediately, first two or three times a day, for airing the seedlings. Then, when they get stronger, I take off the glass completely.

Diving plants not one at a time, but in small bunches, they tolerate this procedure well and, having slightly “sat” without moving, slowly start to grow.

On a note

The bells love moisture, it is not necessary to allow the earthen clod to dry, but at the same time they do not tolerate waterlogging and can easily die from overflow. So in this case it is very important to keep the middle ground.

Open bells

Planting bells in the garden to a permanent place is necessary after the threat of recurrent frosts has passed. In our zone this is the end of May. The place for the bells should be chosen light, sunny, but such that in the midday heat the flowers are in light partial shade, and not in the scorching open sun. You can, of course, plant the plants in the shade, but the flowering will not be as abundant and the flowers themselves will be much smaller than those of the specimens that grow in the light.

During the summer, beetling seedlings take root in a new place and builds up a significant rosette of long leaves.

Nutrition

2-3 times per season bells need to feed. After 2 weeks after disembarking to a permanent place, you must give them nitrogen fertilizers (diluted according to the instructions). In the first half of July, I feed the plants with the complex fertilizer AFC 16-16-16 (according to the instructions) and for the third time (in early August) I give phosphorus and potassium, it is possible to use ash as a potash fertilizer.

Wintering campanula

In winter, the bells go with a well-developed rosette of leaves. Immediately after the onset of stable cold weather, I make such a shelter for them: I put a plastic box with holes (from fruit) on top of the socket, I fall asleep from the leaves, and put a thin spunbond on top. Under such a shelter, the bells overwinter beautifully: they neither freeze, nor they do not thrown it out, since air is provided. In the spring, right after the shoo of snow, the foliage and the box are removed, I give fertilizer with complex fertilizer, I put the bows and pull the spanbond on them. The plant quickly moves into growth.

In May, strong flower stalks (about 1 m in height), dotted with the germs of future flowers, are raised above the rosette of leaves. Bells bloom in the first half of June, and the spectacle is, frankly, fascinating. The faded bells must be removed - and then new leaves grow out of the sinuses of the leaves, they are a little smaller than the first, but just as beautiful and bright.

If you leave a couple of stems and do not cut faded flowers, the bells multiply by self-sowing. They can grow in one place up to five years. I must say that the path from sowing seeds to flowering is a long one, but it is worth going through. If you sow a few seeds every year, you will get an annual flowering. Additionally, a certain amount of flowering plants will give self-seeding.

Try to grow this beautiful flower at least once, and I am sure that it will be registered in your garden for many years and will please everyone around with its incredible beauty! For those who are not sorry to cut flowers, I want to say that the average bell in bouquets is no less charming and beautiful.