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<< Previous   of   Next >> Richie Steffen, Great Plant Picks  (click to enlarge) Birch's bellflower is easy to grow, long-lasting and unattractive to deer and rabbits.   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Plant pick: umbrella bamboo 9/24/09 • Plant pick: Sedum pachyclados 7/23/09   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Thursday, July 2, 2009 Plant pick: Birch Hybrid campanula WHAT: Birch Hybrid campanula, also known as Birch's bellflower, has the ability to steal the garden show despite its modest size. Masses of lilac-blue flowers dance across a backdrop of fresh green foliage, bringing garden visitors to their knees to get a better look from midspring through midsummer. WHY PLANT IT: Humans love this easy-to grow perennial, but, fortunately, deer and rabbits do not, making it a reliable, long-blooming performer for critter-challenged landscapes. It has an attractive cottage-garden look when grown in a border or as a ground cover, and is equally charming tumbling out of rockeries and containers. WHERE: This evergreen perennial grows well in full sun and part shade. It prefers moist, well-drained soil, but it will tolerate less-than-perfect conditions. HOW: After this plant flowers, gently shear off its old flower stalks to keep it looking its best throughout the growing season. ACTUAL SIZE: This is one of the smaller campanulas, growing 4 to 6 inches tall. Its inch-long, bell-shaped flowers are held just above a mat of serrated leaves. It spreads by underground runners. Unlike some other types of campanula, it is not aggressive. LEARN MORE: See www.greatplantpicks.org. Source: Great Plant Picks READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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