Campanula carpatica White Clips

Campanula carpatica 'White Clips' is one of the best varieties of Carpathian bellflower with white flowers, unmatched for its floribundity. This small creeping plant is charming with its long summer flowering of dazzling white, widely open bells facing the sky. They bloom in masses throughout the summer, almost hiding the tender green foliage of this small creeping plant. Very hardy and undemanding and more or less evergreen in winter, this perennial is ideal in rockeries, borders, on top of walls, and for ground cover under roses.

Campanula carpatica belongs to the family of Campanulaceae. It is native, as its name suggests, to central Europe, and more specifically to the Carpathian Mountains where it grows in limestone scree, up to 2500m (8202ft) altitude. It is a mountain plant that appreciates contrasting climates and dislikes dry situations and heatwaves.

The 'White Clips' variety is a low-growing, herbaceous perennial, reaching about 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12in) high when flowering, with a minimum spread of 30 cm (12in). It forms large carpets of vegetation close to the ground, over time. Its basal rosettes of leaves spread limitlessly through branching and creeping stems called stolons, which root upon contact with the ground. Flowering occurs from June to September with well-opened, pure white bells, measuring approximately 3 cm (1in) in diameter. The bright and shiny green foliage consists of heart-shaped, rounded, and finely toothed leaves which persist if the winter is not too harsh.

This white Campanula carpatica appreciates moist, light soils, even limestone, but dislikes stagnant humidity that causes root rot. This mountain plant does not like excessively hot climates or dry summers. It is primarily an excellent rockery and border plant which will quickly fill cracks in paving and walls. It also suits a wild garden and forms a beautiful ground cover at the base of other plants and bushes, as long as it is exposed to the sun. It adapts very well to cultivation in troughs or pots, in light and perfectly drained substrate. To accompany it consider, aubrietas and alyssums, which are also accommodating and easy to grow.