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Cherry Bells in the Garden

This week, I was able to shoot some pictures of the cherry bells I have growing in my yard, they looked so pretty I had to get a close up. Cherry Bells (or the spotted bell flower) are one of my favorite spring flowers. A clumping perennial, they have a pretty bell like flower that hangs down.
Cherry bells in the garden

I love these, but they can be aggressive and need pulling in the summer to control their spreading. They can be very invasive in the wrong yard, so it’s important to plant them some where you can control there growth as they spread by both under ground rhizomes and can self-seed. If you don’t mind them doing that, and aren’t near a protected area, they are very enjoyable.
Cherry bells or spotted bell flower
We are in one 5a and they flourish in our shade garden. The fact that they die back to the ground here every year helps control their growth and spreading.
Campanula Spotted Bell Flower
Since Campanula Punctata grows so rapidly and also be grown in a container for helping  the spread and control.
Spotted bell flower
At times, I get lucky and I will get a second bloom in the summer after a rain. Even though they are fading  a bit, I still think they are pretty!
On another note:
I thought I was going to die in Kane county this weekend.
Let me rephrase that.
The storms were so bad  while selling at the flea market that, not only did I feel sick for the outside vendors, but inside in the metal-roofed building, I had that tight stomach, sweaty palm thing going on, and I was worried I was going to die.
The weekend was actually great… except for being so hot I felt like  limp dishrag by the end of the day, but it was busy and sales were good. About mid-way Sunday, dark clouds rolled in and suddenly the wind picked up ferociously outside the main door. All of the grit and dry gravel from the parking lot turning into an angry sandstorm.  Suddenly, the heavy rains, high winds and hail came on; it was so loud with the metal roof we had to plug our ears. This actually went on for about 45 minutes, with the rain blowing sideways. My heart actually raced a bit and the wind was so loud and strong, I kept thinking it had that “freight train” sound. You could feel the tension in the barn as everyone just watched the storm and hope for the best. Normally when it rains, people rush inside for cover and then shopping goes on as normal. No one shopped, people barely talked, everyone just watched the outside. You could see the panic and worry on people’s faces.Storms don’t normally bother me, but it looked the the scene from the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy is lying in her bed while she is  in the heart of the cyclone and stuff is passing by her window.You could see  things like books and wood fly by the large bay door 15 feet in the air.
I knew if I saw this we were really in trouble.
The parking lot flooded almost 5 inches deep. The winds were so strong, they mangled tents and pushed over port-a-potties.
My heart ached for the outside vendors. While I lost a few things due to the leaky roof and winds that had blown into the windows initially, it was nothing compared to what some of the outside spaces lost.
It made me feel very blessed we all ended up safe and sound. Amazingly enough I talked to my hubby and we barely got any rain at all at home.It’s amazing how the weather can be so different a few miles away.
Jen
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13 Comments

  1. I am totally afraid of storms….I would have been in a corner somewhere in the fetal position crying haha. I’m glad you are alright and that other than the storm the flea market went well for you!

  2. OMG!*!*!
    Sooooo SHOCKED to hear about the Terrible STorM!!! I hope the Outside Dealers were able to take cover while all this was going on and no one physically got hurt… Just Shocking…
    Jeanine Burkhardt

  3. Jen,

    By the time it got to Ohio it was STILL bad. I grew up loving storms – used to go outside with my Mom and little brother and sister and we’d watch the northeasters blowing a nasty storm across Lake Erie and we’d get all excited till it started to sprinkle, then we’d run inside to watch it from our huge picture windows.

    Had absolutely ZERO fear of storms. Till this last one. First one that ever actually scared me – I heard the wind, it sounded like a train and I am told that’s what a tornado sounds like and I ran into the basement as fast as I could.

    And it knocked out our power for 2 days – and we had no damage in which to complain about – could have been so much worse – but I hear ya, it was a VERY bad storm and VERY scary – and that’s coming from someone who up till a few days ago had never once understood people’s fears about a good awesome old fashioned storm. Weird for me.

    Those poor outdoor vendors!

  4. Jen,
    Glad you are safe.We live north of you and we did not get a thing.No rain and no storm nada.We could use some rain.But NOT a storm.Hope all those venders outside were okay too.I also need to do some weeding.But it has been to darn hot.
    (((Hugs))
    Anne

  5. Hi Jen! Oh my goodness how sad for them outdoors…and you…I was thinking of you and praying that you were safe! It passed by us something fierce and it seemed to build as it was heading East…I saw the storm rolling towards you and just prayed everything would be okay…..
    looking forward to catching up!
    xo
    Anne Marie

  6. Jen, I thought about you and all the other vendors at Kane County when the severe thunderstorm warning came across the TV. I am so relieved to hear that you are safe and feel so bad for the outside vendors. Too bad some one didn’t have a weather radio so all of the vendors could have had some warning…..Take care and have fun working in your beautiful garden.

  7. So glad you, and my other vendor friends were okay. I wasn’t there this month, but got a report. What a nightmare. At least you had some good sales. Try to stay cool, and have a great 4th.

  8. Hi Jen, We were out working in the yard and took cover as the winds picked up and the clouds rolled in and then…nothing. Not a drop of rain fell and within 45 minutes we were back to work. Strange weather. Glad that you made it through without injury, except for your nerves that were rattled. Have a great 4th. Love, penny

  9. Oh Jen, I’m so glad you were safe. I can only imagine how scary it was.
    I love your Cherry Bells! The Campanula family is huge…there are so many different varieties. I have never seen Cherry Bells before. Hmmm. I think I’d better see if I can find them. What a great addition to the garden.

    Wishing you An Extraordinary Independence Day!

  10. Hi Jen- We saw that storm move just south of us…no rain at our house either- but it looked awesome as it rolled by-

    So glad to hear you were OK- I’ve got to get out to Kane County Flea… maybe next time you are there!
    Best wishes for a great summer.

  11. We had terrible storms as well.. The power is still out for most of our village. We got power last night and I am so thankful. It was scary as well. Your storm sounds really bad as well. Ours ws quick but took so many trees out. My neighbor has a huge one still on top of her car.
    Glad the week-end went well for you.

  12. We had something so similar here too. My son lives in your area but he is here visiting. We heard about the bad storms at his home and then they hit here. Super scary like you described. We huddled in the basement for a while. Glad everyone up your way is safe and I wish you a very happy 4th.

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