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The Perennial Garden: Medium

Campanula Medium Canterbury Bells. Campanulas may be treated as perennials or biennials. Finer blooms are produced from young plants, and where space and time permit one to treat them as biennials, better results can be obtained. They are not among the hardiest perennials and often die out during severe winters, for this reason best results are assured only where frames are obtainable in which to winter the plants. The dwarf varieties are hardier than the tallgrowing species, such as Campanula Medium and its variety, C. Calycanthema, and when once established they live for several years and may be increased by division of the roots made in spring or early autumn. Campanula Medium and Calycanthema are best propagated by cuttings, taken in spring, or by seeds sown by June 1st so that the plants may have a long season in which to grow and form strong clumps for bloom the following June. They respond to a fertile, wellprepared soil, into which they should be planted as [50] soon as they are large enough to be moved from the seed bed. If possible move them into cold frames, where they can be shaded and protected from bad storms. Encourage the young plants to grow by keeping them well watered and cultivated. About two weeks after they have been transplanted from the seed bed, a little pulverized sheep manure (1 teaspoonful to each plant) may be worked into the soil very lightly, being careful not to put any on the leaves. This can be repeated at intervals of two weeks whenever the seedlings show the need of extra food. The following spring they may be transplanted to their blooming quarters and discarded immediately after flowering and their space filled with annuals that will extend the blooming season until frost.

Varieties. C. Medium, pink, blue, and white, blooms about June 15th. C. Calycanthema, known as the Cup and Saucer Canterbury Bell, owing to its broad, flat calyx which resembles a second flower.

Comes in pink, blue and white, and blooms a little later than C. Medium, C. Carpatica and C. Rotundifolia, low growing, suitable for rock gardens. Their blooming season is July and August.

The Hardy Chrysanthemum. The chrysanthemum is invaluable for gardens in which continuous bloom is desired. Coming as it does during October [51] and November, after the season for the other flowers is over, the chrysanthemum blooms on in spite of frost to add its cheer to the landscape.