Annuals, perennials and biennials. If you're a long-time gardener, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. But if you're new to the planting scene you might still be a little confused about what these terms actually mean. So, before I extol the virtues of Canterbury bells, I'll give you a little refresher on some key gardening terms.
Polyanthus, primulas and pansies are all annuals - they flower and survive for just one season. Annuals are perfect for adding some one-off colour to an area - particularly during winter.
Delphiniums, lupin and polemoniums are perennials - with a little work each year, they'll just keep going and going.
And Canterbury bells are biennials. As the name suggests, they flower for two seasons, dying down in between.
Depending on what affect you're after in your garden, all three types of plant have their own benefits. But sometimes I like to think of biennials as the best of all worlds. They last for more than one season - giving your garden a fresh look, while providing more bang for your buck than annuals. And, unlike perennials, they don't require further work to divide and re-plant.
Now I've given you a refresher course on the differences between annuals, perennials and biennials let me tell you how to grow one biennial in particular - Canterbury bells.
These musical plants are perfect for planting with delphiniums, hollyhocks and snapdragons around borders and fences. The reason being, they all grow quite tall - to about a metre high - so work well at filling up the 'background' where they add some height but won't overshadow smaller plants. The fence or border will also help support your Canterbury bells as they grow taller, otherwise you may need to stake them.
Rose or cottage looking garden beds are also a good place to grow these violet, pink and purple plants because they like the same conditions - nice and sunny.
So, pick up some Awapuni Nurseries Canterbury bell seedlings from your local supermarket, The Warehouse, or Bunnings. Alternatively, head to our online store and have them delivered direct to your door.
When you've picked the perfect spot to plant, dig in a little compost and a well-balanced fertiliser like nitrophoska blue. This will help give your seedlings the right nutrition for a good kick-start. Then plant your seedlings around 20cm apart from each other and spread some mulch and pea straw around. Lastly, watch out for slugs - they can be fans of these pretty flowers.
Because they grow quite tall, Canterbury bells take a while to mature. You should see them start to flower in around early summer or Christmas time.
Canterbury Bells
Cup and Saucer Mixed
