With their oversized, vibrant blooms, bellflowers (also known as Campanula) are a total showstopper in any garden. While the wild varieties usually sport those classic blue and violet hues, there are tons of hybrids out there today that pop in shades of white, yellow, orange, and even pink.
From Early Summer Straight into Fall
Beyond the gorgeous color palette, one of the best things about bellflowers is their incredibly long blooming season. For most of the 300 or so species out there, you’re looking at flowers starting in June or July and lasting well into September. That means you get to enjoy those beautiful bells from the first warm days of summer all the way until the autumn chill sets in.
A Shape for Every Space
While most bellflowers share a similar blooming schedule, their growth habits can be totally different. Some varieties act as a low-growing groundcover, spreading out to fill gaps, while others reach high toward the sky. These taller types usually have much larger blossoms, making them perfect for homegrown floral arrangements. Fun fact: the scientific name *Campanula* actually means “little bell,” so it’s named for its shape in both English and Latin!
The Secret to More Blooms: Pruning
If you want to get the most out of your plants, pruning is your best friend. You can actually extend and intensify the flowering season just by deadheading—which is just a fancy way of saying “snip off the faded flowers.” The more diligent you are about removing old blooms, the more energy the plant puts into pumping out new ones. If you leave the wilted flowers on the stem, the plant shifts its focus to producing seeds instead of pretty petals.
To wrap it up, here’s what you need to know about the bellflower blooming season:
- It kicks off in early summer.
- It usually wraps up in early fall.
- You can keep the party going longer by regularly snipping off spent flowers.
