The name Campanula comes from the Latin word meaning ‘bell’ owing to the bell-shaped flowers of the species. My favourites are the lactifloras for their tubular, star-shaped, upward-facing flowers. Although Lactiflora means ‘milky flower’, most of them are actually lavender in colour. In my opinion, ‘Pritchard’s Variety’ is the best for its long bloom time, stately presence and deep blue colour. The Royal Horticultural Society has granted it an Award of Garden Merit, a sign of a reliable plant. In spite of its height, ‘Pritchard’s Variety’ doesn’t need staking unless planted in a windy spot. To keep the plant strong and bushy, prune it back in early spring; unless you want it to self-seed, deadhead after flowering.

Image © Acabashi; Creative Commons CC-BY-SA 4.0;