Campanula medium L. var. flore pleno

Horticultural & Botanical History

Don describes C. medium var. beta A.DC. as ‘a monstrous polypetalous plant.’  For many years these monstrous forms were the only double flowers available. The Gardeners Chronicle commented that some ‘remarkably fine specimens’ of this flower [Canterbury bell] were recently sent to the Horticultural Society.  They were both dark and light coloured, very large, and the number of flowers in the ‘usually distorted state’ was inconsiderable.  [Gard. Chron. 1842].  This is possibly the first description of ‘improved’ double Canterbury bells and is probably the plant grown by Macarthur.  In 1857 The Gardeners Chronicle reported on a new Double Canterbury Bell, exhibited at the Lincoln Horticultural Society by W. Bromehead, Vicar of Bracebridge, who named it C. Bromeheadiana. The editors commented: ‘This is a very fine double blue Canterbury Bell.  We have seen nothing as large before.  The raiser gave a detailed description of his methodology.  [Gard. Chron. 1857].

History at Camden Park

Only listed in the 1850 catalogue although it is possible that it was intended to be inserted in the blank H.42 in the 1857 catalogue.

Notes