Campanula garganica 'Dickson's Gold' is blissfully unaware that it's supposed to be dead.
I decided, just to satisfy my curiosity, to look at some of the Plant Evaluation Notes from the Chicago Botanic Garden (CBG). I already disagree with their evaluation of the Clematises, specifically 'Vyvyan Pennell,' which they rated highly, but which has been a bust in my garden. This time, I delved into the Campanula trials. To say the results were unexpected is a bit of an understatement. While it was unsurprising to find 'Sarastro' the highest rated Campanula and 'Samantha' also highly rated, the CBG's trials found C. garganica 'Dickson's Gold' and all of the C. persicifolias to be poor performers that died after only a couple of winters. They are not recommended for Chicago area gardens.
It's a good thing I didn't read that before I planted my four 'Dickson's Gold' plants, or any of the three persicifolia hybrids I grow.
Three Campanula garganica 'Dickson's Gold' with three Campanula persicifolia 'Blue-eyed Blonde.'
I think the very well-drained soil here makes my conditions materially different from those at the CBG, a mere 18 miles away. 'Blue-eyed Blonde' is only in its second year here at Squirrelhaven, but 'Telham Beauty' and 'Grandiflora Alba' (two hybrids that didn't complete the CBG's test) have been here over 10 years. In fact, they are something of a pest, popping up everywhere, even in the lawn.
Campanula persicifolia 'Telham Beauty' buzzed down by lawn mower
I won't share the CBG's results with them. Wouldn't want to upset them.
In the Geranium evaluation, G. sylvaticum 'Mayflower' earned a "very poor" rating for failing to survive the winter. Mine has been flourishing for over 10 years.
"Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated": Geranium sylvaticum 'Mayflower.'
While the plant evaluations are useful, it would be foolish to consider them as the last word in what you can and can't grow in your own garden.
* * *Read about my decision on what to do about a problem corner of my garden and a review of Allan Armitage's new book on Carpe Geum.