Campanula garganica Dicksons Gold

Campanula garganica 'Dickson's Gold', is a semi-evergreen perennial with creeping stems that thrives among the stones of a wall, between paving stones, or in a rockery. Its light blue bell-shaped flowers rise from a carpet of small, light yellow-green leaves in an extended summer flowering. This small cushion perennial, still rare in our gardens, will brighten up slightly shady areas between stones.

The starry bellflower belongs to the Campanulaceae family. It is native to the mountains of southern Italy and Greece, but its distribution range extends to France.

The variety 'Dickson's Gold' is a cultivar with yellow or acid-green leaves. It is a semi-evergreen to deciduous perennial with a compact and spreading habit which forms a cushion measuring 15 cm (6in) in height and 20 cm (8in) in width. It flowers in June-July, completely covering the foliage with countless small, bright, light lavender-blue stars 1 to 2 cm (1in) wide. The foliage consists of basal ovate, reniform, kidney-shaped leaves 2.5 to 3.5 cm (1in) long, with cordate and dentate upper leaves.

Campanula garganica thrives in light, moist, and well-drained soil, in a sunny, or partially shaded location. Plant it in light, sandy, humus-bearing soil that remains moist in summer, neutral to slightly acidic. Plant in early autumn (September) so that it can establish its roots before winter, or early spring (February-March). Water regularly during the first summer and make sure to regularly remove any weeds in the first year. This plant adapts very well to various containers, in a mixture of leaf compost, sand, and loam kept consistently moist. This little plant requires no other care.

The starry bellflower will naturally find a place in a cool rockery, on sunny slopes, between the stones of walls, and in the gaps of pavements with a base drained by sand or gravel. Its vegetation is creeping but not running, making it a non-invasive plant in a rockery. It is also lovely planted in troughs, pots, and hanging baskets, where its flowers will cascade. It can be paired with Phlox douglasii or subulata, partially shaded saxifrages, aubrietas, dwarf wormwoods (Artemisia lanata), and Corydalis Blackberry Wine.