A true May queen, the Campanula Champion series is the cultivar of choice for cut flower growers. Tall, floriferous and incredibly long-lasting in the vase, Campanula is an excellent candidate for fall planting in a range of zones, especially with a high tunnel.
Campanula charmer Linda Doan of Aunt Willie's Wildflowers is currently harvesting spectacular stems of this striking cut flower, grown from fall-planted Farmer Bailey plugs.
Linda is a talented flower farmer, floral designer and photographer living and growing on a sixth generation family farm in Blountville, Tennessee. In a May 30 Instagram post, she shares her best practices for growing the best Bells possible, in the field or unheated hoop house.
Learn Linda's tips below, and pop over to our Campanula Growing Guide for complete culture information. Want to add Campanula to your Spring 2025 bouquets? Mark your calendar for July 1, 2024, when ordering begins for fall-shipped annual and perennial plugs.
Campanula musings
by @AuntWilliesWildFlowers Linda Doan
A few growing tips
- Plant in the fall. We find November works best for us in zone 6B/7
- We planted both inside the hoop and outside. Both did well, those in the hoop came 1 to 2 weeks earlier and were taller, but the field gave a later succession. Field white bothered by rain.
- We pinch some and leave some. Pinched plants give more side shoots, and unpinched give larger stems for event work.
- We do not net campanula in the hoop. Some do topple but it’s really hard to cut these through netting. The field campanula I did end up corralling because of all the wind this spring.
- Their vase life is amazing! Grow these!
- I only covered these once all winter in the hoop or in the field. They did fine!
- When they’re done they’re done, yank them and plant summer!
Aww thanks! We love campanula from Farmer Bailey!!