Flowers protecting each other, Campanulas revisited Several years ago I mentioned that a local rabbit had located and eaten all the flowering Campanula leaving a stunted stalk as a reminder of its fondness for the white or purple bell shaped flower. The succeeding years have had mixed results as perhaps the rabbit searches for more variety in its lunch menu. At first I thought nothing of the lone campanula in the flower bed mixed in with an adjoining daylily. Not far away a severed stalk was a reminder of a cleaned lunch plate. The next year there was another daylily with a different Campanula. A trend? Still….it could be a coincidence. But now??….Now I’m not so sure. Have a seat and read… The setting sun released the shadows of night. Slowly they crept across the lawn, engulfing the flower beds one by one in a shroud of black. In that blackness two shadows moved….first one, then another. They seemed to tilt toward each other. Their size and shape said they were very different. They touched…no sound was made. At least none human ears could detect….but perhaps if we moved closer and listened, we might hear some soft noises……”It’s coming, I know we’re not safe” The flower’s plea for help did not go without a response. The larger plant leaned closer. ‘I can help….drop your seeds here’ The larger daylily leaned back waiting for a reply. ‘I can do that!’ the smaller Campanula said. And so began the agreed upon companionship of the two flowers. The word spread to other Campanula, their seeds were to go in the direction of the daylilies. If the flowers managed to bloom and go to seed their offspring had a chance to survive under the protection of the large spreading Hemerocallis. One by one the larger flowers have taken volunteers under their ‘wing’, assuring safety and prosperity away from the hungry Oryctolagus cuniculus To date the count is 7. All volunteers. Companions for life. The Campanula flower earlier so that part of the garden looks nice before the daylilies bloom. Jerry
I had never thought of seeding my day lilies with Campanella. The Campanella self-sews freely around the paths. I might give it a hand as by this time of year the day lilies tend to look bedraggled yet the Campanella are still holding their own.
Jerry, I really appreciate your revelation of what had hitherto been a secret known only to the flowers! "The Gardener's Fairytale."
