With around 300 different species of Bellflowers (also known as *Campanula*), you’ve got plenty of options for your garden. Most of these beauties are perennials, but you’ll also run into some annual and biennial varieties. For the perennials, the secret to their survival lies underground—their hardy rhizomes keep the plant safe and sound through the winter chill.
Bellflowers bounce back every year
Many Bellflower species are winter-hardy, meaning they can overwinter outdoors without a hitch. This makes sense when you consider that many of them originally hail from high-altitude mountain regions. While some varieties aren’t quite as fond of a hard freeze, most Bellflowers will naturally retreat into the soil for the winter and pop back up with fresh growth once spring rolls around.
It’s all about the rhizomes
When temperatures really take a dive, it’s totally normal for the foliage above ground to die back. Don’t panic! As long as those underground rhizomes are healthy, they can usually handle a deep freeze and will sprout again in the spring. To give your plants a little head start, I recommend clearing away any dead stems and leaves once winter is over to make room for the new growth.
Helping annuals through the winter
If you’re growing annual varieties, you’ll typically need to sow new seeds every year. However, if you have a favorite plant you want to save, you can dig it up in the fall and keep it in a pot in a cool, dark spot indoors. There are also some “semi-hardy” types that can stay outside if you give them a little extra insulation. To protect them from the worst of the cold, try mulching with:
- Brushwood or evergreen branches
- Dry leaves
- Garden fleece or frost blankets
If a record-breaking cold snap is in the forecast, you can always move your potted Bellflowers into a sheltered indoor spot at the last minute.
Letting nature do the work
For annual and biennial varieties, you can also rely on natural self-seeding to keep the flowers coming back. The trick here is to skip the deadheading! Leave those faded blooms alone so the seeds can fully ripen and drop. Before you know it, you’ll have a fresh crop of Bellflowers popping up on their own next season.
