Family of wind chimes
Numerous family of bells is widely represented by garden forms of both biennials and perennials. The latter are just of interest to us. The Latin name of campanula bell( in translation means "bell").Therefore, it is often called Campanula. The center of origin of the species is considered to be the Caucasus and the Mediterranean. It is there that the greatest variety of species and varieties exists. In natural conditions, bells grow on meadows, forest edges, along river banks, in shady ravines. From there they migrated to the gardens in the 16th century.
We used to think that the bells are sky blue. In fact, in addition to the blue, blue, purple color of the coronets, there are bells yellow, white, bright pink, lilac, dark red. The drooping gray-pink flowers of the point bell are covered with purple dots. Equally exotic view of the bell of Takosima. The choice is big both in color( white, blue, lilac, purple, pink), and in height( from 10 to 150-cm).The shape of the flower can also vary - from narrow, strongly elongated to widely open, or stellate.
In Russia these plants have been known for a long time and have always enjoyed love. No wonder they have such affectionate ancient folk names: "ringers", "blooms", "sinelki", "doves."
There is a popular belief that one moat per year, the night of Ivan Kupala( from 6 to 7 July), you can hear the soft chimes of the bells.
Most often from the root rosette of narrow leaves rise thin sturdy peduncles, which are paniculate or racemose inflorescences. There are giants up to 150 cm tall and taller, such as a persian leopard, with large white flowers. But there are also such as the little Carpathian, who is so strongly branching the stalk that the plant spreads in all directions and becomes literally ground-cover. Tiny white flowers with a solid carpet cover the entire space occupied by them.
Bloom almost all the bells for a long time( about 40 days) and abundantly, most often from late June to early August. If you do not be lazy and pick off the dried flowers, then the flowering can be extended for almost all plants. The Carpathian bell, for example, blooms in itself almost all summer, from June to September.
Most bells prefer neutral soils, although they can also grow on slightly acidic soils. Responsive to the introduction of lime or ash. The soils are undemanding, but, of course, they grow better and blossom on good garden lands. In this case, they will do without food. But if the soils are poor, then in the spring they will have to be fed with Azot or any other fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium( 1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water).Large doses of fertilizers for bells are not recommended, because although they will blossom and blossom for a long time, they will die in 3-4 years.
Bells are completely drought-resistant, but they prefer moderately moist soils. They need watering only at the time of budding in dry and hot weather, and they completely do without irrigation. What they do not like is the stagnation of water, so they should not be planted in low and damp places. They prefer slightly shaded places where they bloom more long and brightly, rather than in the sun. Tall plants with large flowers, such as peach-leaved, nettle-leaved, broad-leaved, and some medium-sized plants( for example, Takosima and Point) tend to blossom well in the shady corners of the garden.
After flowering, peduncles should be cut to the soil level. Plants are quite winter-hardy, but some Mediterranean species are better in late autumn, just in case, fall asleep with a mixture of peat with sand.
In one place they can grow quite a long time, but it is better to divide and plant them every 2-3 years, for this purpose it is enough to separate a shovel from a part of the rosette of a new leaf grown at the end of summer and move it to another place. They take root easily. You can propagate not only by dividing the bush, but also by root offspring, which are separated from the mother bush in the spring. Bellflowers can be easily propagated by green cuttings, which are taken at the beginning of summer by young growth shoots. Propagate them and seeds. You can sow in autumn directly into the soil, but the seeds are small and, as a rule, disappear. Therefore, it is better to grow them through seedlings. Sow their homes in March on snow, brought to the soil in a seedling container. Put it in a plastic bag, tie it and leave it in the fridge for a couple of weeks. Then take it out into the room to the light. When the seedlings will have 2-3 true leaves, they will be planted in separate apartments and after the frost has passed, transplant them into place. For high grades, the planting scheme is 50 x 50 cm, medium-sized - 30 x 30 cm, and low-growing varieties can be planted on 20 plants per 1 m2.
Pests and diseases rarely damage bells, but slugs like them. Therefore, in rainy summer, you should scatter around the plantings of methylaldehyde( sold under the names "Meta" or "Storm"), Sometimes rust appears on the leaves. Then you should spray the plants with any medication containing copper. But it is always better to warn the disease than to treat the plant afterwards. Therefore, the simplest when sprouting emerges is to treat all the plants in the "Healthy Garden" section for prophylaxis, and then repeat every 3 weeks spraying or watering( directly on the plant and soil under it).And also excellent prevention - watering the soil in spring and autumn with a solution of "Fitosporin" plus "Gumi".
Tall bells( 120-150 cm), such as broadleaf, pyramidal, coarse-grained, are more suitable for beds and mixborders. They look spectacularly on the lawn, near the pond. From the medium-sized( 50-70 cm), you can arrange a curtain or flower bed, and also arrange them along the path. Only it is necessary to take into account one feature: after flowering they practically disappear, and only a month later a new radical rosette of leaves appears. Therefore, they should not be planted in the foreground.
Of medium-height varieties, the most ornamental is the Hofmann Bell, Twisted, Spotted, Sarmatian. For stony hills, very short forms( about 30 cm) and ground cover( 10-12 cm) are very attractive. In addition to the Carpathian, this group includes Mountainous, Bearded, Sartori, Gargan, Caucasian and others. They can be planted in flowerpots, pots and containers, and not just on slides.