The Campanula (Campanula medium) is a tall, stately biennial herb in the family Campanulaceae, native to the open woodlands and meadows of southern Europe. Commonly known as Canterbury Bells, this classic cottage garden plant has been cultivated in European gardens since the 16th century for its magnificent spikes of large, bell-shaped flowers in shades of blue, purple, pink, and white. The genus name Campanula derives from the Latin campana (bell), a direct reference to the gracefully bell-shaped corollas that have made this genus one of the most beloved and recognisable groups of garden flowers in the temperate world.
• Erect biennial herb 60–100 cm tall, forming a low rosette of basal leaves in the first year and a tall flowering spike in the second
• Flowers large, campanulate (bell-shaped), 4–6 cm long, in shades of blue, purple, pink, or white, borne in terminal racemes along the upper stem
• The genus Campanula is one of the largest genera of flowering plants in the Northern Hemisphere, comprising approximately 400–500 species
• The specific epithet medium means intermediate or middle, possibly referring to the plant's moderate size within the genus
• The common name Canterbury Bells is believed to derive from the bell-like flowers resembling the hand bells carried by pilgrims travelling to Canterbury Cathedral
• Native to southern France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and the Balkans
• Found in woodland clearings, forest margins, rocky banks, and open meadows on calcareous soils
• Occurs at elevations from sea level to approximately 1,500 m
• Introduced to gardens across Europe by the mid-16th century — recorded in the gardens of medieval monasteries and Renaissance herb gardens
• The species was first formally described by Linnaeus in 1753 in Species Plantarum
• Widely naturalised in parts of central and northern Europe, the British Isles, and eastern North America following centuries of garden cultivation
• The common name Canterbury Bells may reference the bells of Canterbury Cathedral or the hand-bells carried by medieval pilgrims on the route to Canterbury, as described in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
• First-year growth: a low basal rosette of oblong to lanceolate leaves 10–20 cm long, shallowly toothed, hairy, dark green
• Second-year growth: erect flowering stem 60–100 cm tall, sturdy, angular-ribbed, leafy, with short, spreading hairs
• Stem leaves alternate, lanceolate to ovate, 5–12 cm long, sessile or short-petiolate, decreasing in size upward
• Leaf margins irregularly toothed (dentate); surfaces sparsely hairy
Flowers:
• Flowers large, campanulate (bell-shaped), 4–6 cm long and 3–5 cm across at the mouth
• Corolla widely bell-shaped, five-lobed at the tip, the lobes short and pointed
• Flower colour varies from deep violet-blue to lavender, purple, pink, and white depending on cultivar
• Double-flowered forms (cup-and-saucer type) have an extra inner corolla creating a ruffled, layered effect
• Flowers borne in terminal racemes and upper leaf axils, opening sequentially from bottom to top
• Calyx five-lobed, green, persistent; five stigmas curled back at the flower centre
• Blooming period June to August in the second year
Fruit & Seeds:
• Fruit a pendulous, ovoid capsule 1–1.5 cm, opening by three small pores near the top
• Seeds numerous, very small, light brown, elliptical
• Self-seeding common in garden settings
Habitat:
• Open woodlands, woodland clearings, and forest margins on calcareous soils
• Rocky banks, meadows, and disturbed ground in hilly terrain
• Prefers well-drained, moderately fertile soils in partial shade to full sun
Ecological Role:
• Bell-shaped flowers are accessible to a wide range of pollinators including bees, bumblebees, and butterflies
• Nectar accumulates at the base of the deep corolla tube, favouring long-tongued pollinators
• Seeds dispersed by wind through the pores at the top of the capsule
Adaptations:
• Biennial lifecycle — the first-year rosette stores energy in a deep taproot for the second-year flowering effort
• Hairy foliage may deter some herbivorous insects
• Pendent (hanging) bell orientation protects pollen from rain washout
• Poricidal capsule opening regulates seed release over time, maximising dispersal efficiency
Light:
• Full sun to partial shade — best in a position with morning sun and some afternoon shade
• In hot climates, afternoon shade prevents flower scorch
Soil:
• Prefers fertile, moist but well-drained, neutral to alkaline soils
• Incorporate compost or well-rotted manure before planting
• Ideal pH 6.5–7.5
• Tolerates chalky soils
Planting:
• Sow seeds in late spring or early summer for flowering the following year
• Sow in prepared seedbeds or modules; transplant to final position in autumn
• Space plants 30–45 cm apart
• Alternatively, purchase first-year rosettes from nurseries for immediate planting
Watering:
• Water regularly during dry periods, particularly in the first year while the rosette establishes
• Avoid waterlogging which can cause crown rot
Maintenance:
• Stake tall flower spikes in exposed sites to prevent wind damage
• Deadhead to prolong flowering and prevent excessive self-seeding
• Allow some seed heads to ripen if self-seeding is desired for continuity in the garden
• Cut back stems after flowering; the plant will die after setting seed (biennial lifecycle)
Ornamental:
• Classic cottage garden biennial — a staple of traditional English and European flower borders
• Excellent as a vertical accent in mixed borders, providing height and structure
• Beautiful cut flower with long vase life — the bell-shaped blooms are distinctive and elegant in arrangements
• Double-flowered (cup-and-saucer) forms are particularly prized for their ornate, layered appearance
Cultural:
• The bell-shaped flower has been a recurring motif in European art, poetry, and folklore for centuries
• In the language of flowers (floriography), Campanula symbolised gratitude, humility, and constancy
• The genus name Campanula (little bell) gave its name to the entire bellflower family (Campanulaceae)
Wusstest du schon?
The Canterbury Bells earned their common name because medieval pilgrims walking to Canterbury Cathedral reportedly wore the flowers as badges — but the deeper connection is that the bell-shaped flowers were said to ring with an audible chime on the anniversary of the martyrdom of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral on December 29, 1170. • The genus Campanula is so named because its flowers were literally thought to ring — the Renaissance herbalist William Turner wrote in 1562 that "the flowers of this plant do ring like little bells when the wind bloweth through them," a poetic image that persisted in garden literature for centuries • Campanula medium was one of the first ornamental flowers exported from Europe to colonial America — Thomas Jefferson recorded growing Canterbury Bells at Monticello in 1767, noting their "exceeding great beauty" • The double-flowered "cup-and-saucer" form of Canterbury Bells was so prized by Victorian gardeners that single-flowered forms nearly disappeared from cultivation by the 1880s, before a revival of interest in single varieties in the 20th century • The genus Campanula contains over 400 species, making it one of the largest genera of flowering plants in the Northern Hemisphere — yet Campanula medium remains the single most popular species in cultivation, a distinction it has held for over 500 years • In Slovenia, the Zvončič (little bell) is the national flower and refers to a native Campanula species — the bellflower is so deeply embedded in Slovenian culture that it appears on the national 2-cent euro coin
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