Campanula persicifolia La Belle

Campanula persicifolia 'La Belle' is a double version of the beautiful peach-leaved bellflower that populates old gardens. This simple plant which only shows a modest rosette of semi-evergreen dark green leaves in winter, takes off in summer, when it blooms for several weeks with charming double bell-shaped flowers, of an intense and deep lavender-blue. It is a truly accommodating perennial plant, drought-resistant and very hardy. This beautiful French variety is absolutely impossible to miss. It is also an excellent cut flower, perfect in romantic and simple arrangements.

Campanula persicifolia 'La Belle' belongs to the campanula family. It is derived from Campanula persicifolia, a plant native to southern and eastern Europe and temperate Asia, whose natural habitat is often wooded and hilly. It is a popular perennial plant, forming stiff and robust stems 60 to 80 centimetres (24 to 32 inches) tall and 30 centimetres (12 inches) wide. The large bell-shaped flowers are magnificent, double and a perfect blue, blooming from June to August if faded flowers are removed. Its semi-evergreen foliage is dark green, with elongated, lanceolate leaves resembling peach leaves, hence its name. This plant spreads through underground rhizomes, without becoming invasive.

Campanula persicifolia 'La Belle' will always be welcome in a wildflower bed, accompanied by columbines, snapdragons, foxgloves and frilly poppies. To use it as ground cover, plant it at a density of 6/m². It is also used in flower beds or rock gardens. Combine it with dame's rocket, yarrow 'Salmon Beauty', add a touch of grey: Artemisia ludoviciana or Stachys byzantina and enjoy the show. It is also a plant that produces wonderful flowers for bouquets, alongside roses and peonies.

About bellflowers:

The crown of bellflowers grows white stolons that spread underground in all directions ensuring the long-term survival of the plant. The numerous upright stems that arise from this crown or stolons can be fertile or sterile. Thus, when one sees a large population of bellflowers, it is often the clones of a single individual. On the other hand, different species of bellflowers hybridize very easily with each other and are often accompanied by a whole range of intermediate forms, which makes them very interesting for horticulturists.