Bellflower

Description
Delicate, paper-like, bell-shaped, purple flowers, sit in whorls around an erect stem of deeply toothed leaves. The flowers bloom from June until September. This is a robust native perennial, great in garden borders or meadows. Prefers full sun or part shade and well-drained soil, in which it can grow 0.5-1m tall.

Distribution
Mainly found in Southern Britain, this plant has declined in the wild due to the less frequent practice of coppicing and general hedgerow removal across the country. Scarce in Ireland and Scotland.

Best Time To See
July, August, September when the flowers appear

Did You Know?
The second part of its proper name: ‘trachelium’, refers to the plant’s medicinal use as the treatment for a sore throat. Other common names include, ‘Our Lady’s Bells’ and ‘Coventry Bells’, because of the blue colour association with the Virgin Mary.