Deluxe Rainbow Mix Canterbury Bell brings cottage garden romance to modern landscapes with its enormous, bell-shaped flowers that tower on tall spikes in jewel-toned purples, lavenders, plums, pinks, and creamy whites. This heirloom biennial, offered by Comstock, Ferre & Co. as far back as 1856, produces long-lasting blooms that excel as cut flowers and thrive in hardiness zones 3 through 10. The plants reach impressive heights and prefer full sun with moderate water, flowering reliably when given cool nights and consistent care.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-10
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Moderate
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These genuinely enormous flowers arrive on tall, dramatic spikes and hold their color for weeks, making them showstoppers in any garden setting. The color range within a single seed packet is extraordinary; you'll see deep purples, soft lavenders, rich plums, coral pinks, and pristine cream tones all flowering together. Frost-hardy through zone 3, they perform as biennials in most climates, building substantial rosettes in their first year before exploding into bloom in their second. The long-lasting blooms cut beautifully, bringing that old-fashioned cottage garden elegance straight into the house.
These flowers are primarily grown for their ornamental impact in borders, cottage gardens, and cut flower arrangements. The long-lasting blooms make them exceptional as cut flowers, bringing weeks of color indoors. Their height and presence also make them valuable as focal points in mixed perennial beds or as a traditional cottage garden anchor plant.
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Start seeds indoors in late summer or early fall for blooms the following year. Sow seeds on moist soil and maintain a germination temperature between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Seeds typically sprout within 14 to 21 days. Keep seedlings in bright light and provide good air circulation to prevent damping off. Transplant seedlings into individual pots once they've developed true leaves.
Transplant seedlings outdoors in early to mid-fall, 6 to 8 weeks before your first frost date. Harden off plants by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Space plants 15 to 18 inches apart in full sun with well-draining soil adjusted to pH 6.0 to 7.5. Water gently after planting and keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged through their first fall and winter. In mild climates, established plants may flower that same winter; in cold zones, they'll bloom the following summer.
Direct sow seeds in late summer or early fall where plants are to grow. Scatter seeds on prepared soil, press them gently into contact with soil, and cover with just 1/8 inch of fine soil. Keep the seedbed consistently moist until germination occurs. Thin seedlings to 15 to 18 inches apart once they're large enough to handle.
Cut flowers for arrangements in the morning when stems are fully hydrated, selecting spikes where at least half the flowers along the stem have opened. Make cuts at the base of the stem just above a set of leaves. Flowers will continue opening as they sit in water, extending their vase life considerably. Remove any foliage that would sit below the waterline in your arrangement to prevent bacterial growth.
Deadhead spent flowers regularly throughout the blooming season to encourage continued flower production and extend the display. Once flowering has finished for the season, you can cut plants back, though many gardeners leave the dried seed heads for winter interest and to self-seed for the following year.
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“Canterbury Bells arrived in seed catalogs well over a century ago, with Comstock, Ferre & Co. offering this variety in 1856. The Deluxe Rainbow Mix represents generations of selection for larger flowers and broader color variation within the Campanula medium species, which has graced English and European cottage gardens since medieval times. This particular strain preserves the vigor and flower size that made the original Canterbury Bell a staple of Victorian gardens while expanding the palette beyond traditional single colors. The fact that it remains in seed catalogs today speaks to gardeners' enduring love for its dramatic presence and reliability.”