FLOWER-CANTERBURY BELLS (SALE)

A$3.50

Availability: In stock

Seeds Per Pack: 2300

Campanula medium
FLOWER-CANTERBURY BELLS are a timeless treasure in any garden, evoking charm and nostalgia with their graceful, bell-shaped flowers. Beloved for their tall spikes of soft pink, pure white, and delicate blue blooms, they create an enchanting display in borders or cottage gardens. Their versatility shines not only as a striking landscape feature but also as an elegant cut flower, with spikes up to 75cm, lasting beautifully in floral arrangements.
Despite their delicate appearance, these hardy plants are surprisingly easy to grow, rewarding gardeners with vibrant blooms year after year when given proper care. Deadheading encourages a second flush of flowers, extending their show well into summer. Their height makes Canterbury Bells a perfect backdrop for shorter plants, adding depth and texture to garden compositions. Whether grown from seed or transplanted, they thrive in cool frames or glasshouses before taking their rightful place in the garden. As a bonus, these long-lived perennials attract pollinators, bringing life and movement to your outdoor sanctuary.

How to Grow Canterbury Bells

Canterbury Bells prefer full sun to partial shade and well-draining soil.
They can be started indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost date in your area.
Sow the seeds in seed trays or pots filled with seed compost and cover with a plastic wrap or propagator lid to maintain humidity.
Transplant seedlings once they have grown to about 5-7cm tall, and have at least two sets of true leaves.
They can be transplanted into larger pots or into the garden.
Provide proper care by regular watering and fertilisation to thrive.
Water the plants when the soil is dry to the touch.
Fertilise them every 2-3 weeks with a balanced fertiliser.
Keep an eye out for pests such as aphids, whiteflies and spider mites, and diseases such as powdery mildew and blight.
Use organic pest control methods if possible.
Provide support for your Canterbury Bells as they can grow quite tall up to about 120 cm.
Deadhead by pinching off dead flowers to encourage new blooms and maintain a neat appearance.

Additional growing tips for Canterbury Bells

Pinching off growing tips of young plants early in the season ncourages compact growth and strengths the plant or prevent them becoming leggy and flop over in the wind.
Mulch with a fine gravel or grit layer around the base of the plant (especially young seedlings) for slug control and soil drainage to reduce root rot risks.
Plant in Slightly Raised Beds as they don’t like “wet feet.” The mounds improve drainage, particularly in areas with heavy or clay soil. This helps prevent crown and root rot during wetter months.
Succession Sowing for Continuous Blooms will give you blooms every year with a little careful planning. Sow the seeds every Spring and Autumm. While one set is blooming, another is maturing, giving you flowers every season.
Companion Planting with taller, light-canopy plants such as cosmos or sunflowers, provide dappled shade during the hottest part of the day. This helps prolong the blooming period and protects delicate flowers from sun scorch.
Use Them as Cut-and-Come-Again Flowers by cutting the flower spikes when only half of the bells are open. This also stimulates the plant to produce new flower spikes, effectively doubling your blooms.
Pre-Chilling Seeds by placing seeds in a moist paper towel, seal them in a plastic bag, and refrigerate for 1–2 weeks. This mimics the cold stratification process they experience in nature, encouraging better and faster germination.
While Canterbury Bell flowers are frost hardy, young rosettes and seedlings can be damaged by frost or extreme cold. In these conditions you need to cover them with a lightweight fleece or cloche for insulation. Alternatively, grow seedlings in pots and move them to a sheltered area like an unheated greenhouse during winter.

Heritage of Canterbury Bells

Canterbury Bells carry a rich heritage steeped in old-world charm and tradition. Native to southern Europe, these elegant flowers have been cultivated since the 16th century, gracing cottage gardens and formal landscapes alike. Their name is thought to reference their resemblance to the bells of Canterbury Cathedral in England, a nod to their distinctive, bell-shaped blooms and their historical popularity in English gardens. In the Victorian era, Canterbury Bells symbolized gratitude and faith, often included in floral arrangements as a meaningful gesture. Traditionally grown as biennials, they were prized for their ability to self-seed, ensuring their presence in gardens for generations. Their enduring appeal lies not only in their beauty but also in their association with timeless gardens and classic floral design, making them a living testament to gardening traditions that have spanned centuries.

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Category Colour Guide
Planting Guide for Australia

Scoville Heat Units (SHU)

Plant Height (cm)

60 - 90

Season of Interest

Summer

Temperature Range (°C)

15 - 25

Determine / Indeterminate

Annual / Perennial / Biennial

Perennial / Biennial

Frost Hardy / Tender

Hardy

Full Sun / Part Sun / Shade

Full sun, part shade

Sow Direct / Raise Seedlings

Soil

Rich, Moist, Well drained soil

6 - 7

Soil Temperature (°C)

16 - 20 (59-68 Fahrenheit)

Seed Preparation

No special preparation required

Sowing Depth (mm)

Plant Spacing (cm)

30 - 45 (12-18 inches)

Row spacing (cm)

45 - 60 (18-24 inches)

Watering

Regular watering

Germination Time (Days)

15 - 21

Harvest Time (Days)

Flowers will appear in the second year, in late spring or early summer

Good Companion Plants

Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), Columbine (Aquilegia spp.), Delphiniums (Delphinium spp.), Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus), Peonies (Paeonia spp.), Roses (Rosa spp.), Campanula (other varieties), Lavender (Lavandula spp.)

Bad Companion Plants

Brassica family plants (e.g., broccoli, cabbage), Nightshades (e.g., tomatoes, peppers), Legumes (e.g., beans, peas)

Pests

Aphids, Slugs

Diseases

Powdery Mildew, Crown Rot, Leaf Spot, Rust, Downy Mildew, Botrytis Blight.

More About Us

ABSeeds is an Australian owned business trading under the umbrella of Direct Compost Solutions which is owned and managed by Victoria Brun.

We as a company endeavor to provide to the public, Organic, Old Fashioned, Heritage, and Open-pollinated seeds that have not been genetically modified.

We purchased the business in November 2018 and renamed it to ABSeeds (All ‘Bout Seeds) to make the title shorter and represent what we hope to achieve with this business in the years ahead.

Seeds that we can’t grow ourselves we will acquire from people who grow for us, or we may purchase seeds from reputable heritage seed companies.