7 Great Campanulas for Border Planting

The campanula lactiflora

During the summer, the campanula lactiflora, also known as the milky bellflower, offers us large, dense panicles of pale blue star-shaped flowers. It is ideal for wildflower or cottage gardens. This perennial is easy to grow if you provide it with fresh, well-drained, deep soil that does not dry out. It enjoys a sunny or partially shaded position, sheltered from strong winds. This tall campanula forms a broad clump, reaching heights of 1.20 m to 1.50 m and spreading 60 cm wide. To accompany it at the back of the border, you can plant old roses, large mulleins, valerian, or echinacea.

The campanula lactiflora

Lobelia lactiflora Loddon Anna

The campanula lactiflora ‘Loddon Anna’ is a beautiful and tall perennial, reaching 1 m in height and 40 cm in spread. During summer, it is adorned with large spikes of star-shaped flowers that form lovely bouquets. The flowering is a soft pale pink-lilac, almost white. The deciduous foliage is a bright light green. This delicate campanula thrives in rich, moisture-retentive soil, in partial shade or full sun. It will make a stunning addition to a cottage garden, English garden, or romantic setting. You can pair it with old roses, a lupin, an astrantia, a peony, a foxglove, a white delphinium, and why not some ornamental grasses.

The campanula lactiflora ‘Loddon Anna’

Campanula latifolia var. macrantha

The campanula latifolia var. macrantha stands out with its stunning bell-shaped flowers in a very intense violet-blue. With its 1.20 m height and 50 cm spread, it is ideal for a wildflower or cottage garden. Easy to grow, it prefers rich, moist soil but can also tolerate heavy, clay soils. This campanula thrives in both full sun and shade. You can pair it with other lovely perennial plants such as aquilegias, Iris germanica, white gaura, and even other campanulas like Campanula lactiflora ‘Alba’.

The campanula latifolia ‘var. macrantha’

Peach-leaved campanula

From June to August, the peach-leaved campanula develops large flower stems measuring up to 80 cm in height. Its cushion of leaves is very short, rarely exceeding 10 cm in height and 30 cm in width. Its delicate flowers take the form of large, open bells in a very soft blue. It is stunning in a wild, romantic, or country-style border. Very easy to grow, it prefers ordinary, rather cool soil and tolerates slight alkalinity as well as acidity. Choose a location in full sun or partial shade. This campanula looks magnificent alongside roses, peonies, and also with its white-flowered sister: the Campanula persicifolia ‘Alba’.

The peach-leaved campanula in blue and its white-flowered sister: the Campanula persicifolia ‘Alba’.

Campanula persicifolia 'La Bello'

Campanula persicifolia ‘La Bello’ is also part of the family of peach-leaved campanulas. This stunning perennial forms a cushion of leaves 30 cm wide, very low to the ground. From June to August, tall floral stems of 60 to 80 cm in height appear. The flowers form magnificent large double bells, white with fine blue edges. This campanula will naturally find its place in a romantic, white, or country-style flowerbed. It enjoys a sunny to partially shaded position in ordinary soil that remains cool. To accompany it, nothing is better than roses, a Delphinium ‘Galahad’, a few clumps of dame’s rocket, an Achillea ptarmica ‘Perry’s White’, and an aconite ‘Ivorine’.

La Campanula persicifolia ‘La Bello’

The hybrid campanula Kent Belle

The hybrid campanula ‘Kent Belle’ is a bushy variety with early flowering. From June to August, it produces large, elongated dark blue to violet bell-shaped flowers, measuring 6 cm in length. The flower stems can reach up to 1 m in height, with a spread of 50 cm. It thrives in full sun to partial shade in rich, cool, well-draining soil. It is perfect for a romantic, wild, or country-style border. Pair this beautiful campanula with roses, a delphinium, astrantias, a peony, or a foxglove.

The hybrid campanula ‘Kent Belle’

Campanula rapunculoides

The Campanula rapunculoides, also known as the false rampion bellflower, offers a long flowering period in spikes from June to September. At maturity, it reaches a height of 80 cm with a spread of 50 cm. Its long stems bear delicate, light blue-violet bells. Undemanding, this wild-looking campanula thrives in ordinary, even rocky, but moist soil. It enjoys a sunny position that is not scorching or partial shade, sheltered from strong winds that could bend it. It is perfect for a wild or country-style border. It pairs beautifully with other wildflowers, such as echinaceas, fennel, meadowsweet, and perennial sweet pea.

The Campanula rapunculoides

Further reading:

• Discover all our campanula varieties.
• To learn everything about campanulas, check out our guide on planting, cultivation, and maintenance.