Longest Name Ever

Campanula Portenschlagiana was the name listed in a mail order catalog to identify this plant.  Our purchase was not driven by a desire to have what may be the longest name assigned to any flower but by its location on the vertical face of a dry stone wall.  That alone made it a must have plant without even considering its blossom color.  That initial purchase was made at least seven years ago and the plant continues to grow from a crevice in our dry stone wall.

Dalmation Bellflower is an easier name to both pronounce and remember.  Its native location in the Dalmation Mountains of Croatia identifies the source of the name but why that name was given to the mountains remains unknown here.  Beauty alone is a sufficient reason to make this a must have plant.

This is an evergreen plant but that characteristic comes with a down side.  Located at an easy height for hungry deer may explain the hole in the center of this plant.  Deer damage did not destroy the plant but protection seemed to be in order.  Welded wire fence once again provided a deer proof barrier.  We have yet tested to see if the deer would eat this plant away from winter.  Cage construction makes the protection easy to remove so we can enjoy this plant with the barrier removed.

This plant moved itself up to the horizontal surface of the wall.  Similar placement in that location would greatly improve the first impression made by the wall down near the road.  But then there is the issue of an ugly wire cage.  Descriptions of using this plant to fill the cracks in rough stone paths are common.  Its height might prove to be something to trip over and we do not need to make garden walking less safe.  This plant is well suited to placement as a ground cover.

This small new plant placed itself in this location.  Perhaps a small animal was involved in seed distribution.  In any event the picture shows that soil finds its own way to the front edge of a stone wall.  Our initial planting consisted of shoving a plant into such an opening.  We did not expect the transplant to remain where we put it but it has flourished.  Except for the deer issue, Dalmation Bellflower has proven itself to be a highly desirable plant.