Campanula glomerata Genti White - Clustered bellflower

Campanula glomerata 'Allgentiw' Genti White is a compact and highly floriferous clustered bellflower. Its upright stems bear large, tight clusters composed of pure white flowers from late spring. A very hardy and long-lived perennial, it flowers for a long time and can rebloom if the spent flower stems are regularly cut back. Easy to grow in ordinary soil, in sun or partial shade, this campanula can be used in naturalistic borders, in cottage garden beds, in damp rockeries, in large containers, or in floral displays.

'Genti White' descends from the species Campanula glomerata, the clustered bellflower, widespread across much of temperate Eurasia, from the meadows and woodland edges of Europe to the steppes and open forests of Central and Eastern Asia. This species, from the Campanulaceae family, is also known under the older synonyms Syncodon glomeratus and Weitenwebera glomerata.
This cultivar is registered under the name 'Allgentiw' and marketed under the denomination GENTI WHITE. It is a Dutch introduction, selected in Cuijk, the Netherlands, by the hybridiser Wilhelmus T. J. van den Hoogen for the company All Plants Holding B.V. The Genti series brings together several compact, clustered bellflowers, chosen for their sturdy stems, dense flowering, and excellent garden performance. This deciduous herbaceous perennial, with a slightly rhizomatous crown, forms a rounded clump, 35 to 45 cm tall in flower and 40 to 60 cm wide. Its straight and robust stems emerge in great numbers from its base. Within two or three seasons, the clump will reach a handsome size. The foliage forms a basal rosette of ovate to heart-shaped, medium to dark green leaves, slightly rough, with finely toothed margins; on the stems, the leaves are narrower. The inflorescences are very tight, globular terminal clusters, complemented by small lateral clusters along the stems. The flower is campanulate and slightly star-shaped upon opening, measuring 2.5 to 3 cm long by 2 to 3 cm wide. Flowering continues from late May or early June until August, even into September if the spent flower stems are pruned. It is rich in nectar and regularly visited by bees and butterflies. In 'Genti White', seed production is low, which limits self-sowing.

In the garden, place the 'Genti White' campanula at the front of a border, in front of taller perennials, in small repeated groups along a path, or in a slightly damp rockery. It pairs particularly well with its bicolour sister 'Genti Twisterbell', but also with the airy Astrantia major 'Star of Billion', and Geum 'Mai Tai', with its apricot-salmon flowers. In a more contemporary setting, it can be combined with the pink and green Echinacea 'Green Twister'. All these flowers will come together in a large, chic, and rustic composition.