Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd
Rose Campion
Rose Campion
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Rose Campion Seeds (Lychnis coronaria)
If you want a plant that looks good even before it flowers, Rose Campion is the answer. It forms a basal rosette of incredibly soft, silver-grey, woolly leaves that feel like felt to the touch. This silvery mound persists through winter, adding valuable structure when other plants have disappeared.
In summer, it sends up tall, branched, silver stems topped with simple, round flowers in a shade of magenta-pink so intense it almost glows. The contrast between the pale, ghostly stems and the neon-bright blooms is one of the most striking sights in the summer border. It is effortless, stylish, and beloved by bees.
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🌿 Understanding the Plant
Rose Campion is a Short-Lived Perennial (often behaving like a Biennial).
The Cycle: Each individual plant lives for about 2-3 years. It puts all its energy into a massive flowering display and then often dies.
Top Tip: Don't worry about it dying! It is a prolific self-seeder. If you leave the seed heads on, it will drop seeds around the base, ensuring you have a permanent, renewing colony of silver plants forever without lifting a finger.
🌱 Growing Guide: How to Sow and Grow
These seeds need light to germinate, so be careful not to bury them.
Germination:
Sow indoors from February to May, or directly outdoors in late spring. Scatter the seeds on the surface of the compost and do not cover (or use a very fine dusting of vermiculite). Press them gently into the soil. Keep warm (20°C). Germination takes 14-21 days.
Where to Sow:
They demand full sun. They thrive in dry, poor, or stony soil. They are extremely drought tolerant and are perfect for gravel gardens or dry banks. They hate wet, boggy winter soil.
Care While Growing:
These plants thrive on neglect. Do not feed them—rich soil makes them floppy and green (losing that lovely silver colour). Cut back flower stems in autumn, or leave them for winter interest.
📋 Plant Specifications
| Latin Name | Lychnis coronaria (syn. Silene) |
| Common Name | Rose Campion / Dusty Miller |
| Hardiness | H7 (Very Hardy) |
| Light Required | Full Sun ☀️ |
| Height | ↕️ 60cm - 80cm |
| Spread | ↔️ 45cm |
| Spacing | 🌱 40cm apart |
| Great for | 🥈 Silver Foliage 🏜️ Dry Gardens 🐝 Pollinators 🏡 Cottage Borders |
| Seed Count | Approx. 200 seeds per packet |
🤝 Perfect Garden Companions
The shocking magenta of Rose Campion needs cool blues or whites to balance it out:
- 💙 Nigella 'Miss Jekyll Blue': Cool & Hot. The soft, misty blue flowers of Love-in-a-Mist cool down the electric pink of the Campion, while the ferny green foliage contrasts beautifully with the Campion's silver leaves.
- 🏰 Larkspur 'Giant Hyacinth Mixed': Vertical Contrast. The tall, rigid spikes of Larkspur rise above the bushy mound of the Rose Campion. The white and blue shades in the mix create a sparkling, jewel-box effect.
📅 Sowing & Flowering Calendar
Sow in spring or early summer. Plants often establish in Year 1 and flower fully in Year 2.
| Month | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow Seeds | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | |||||||
| Flowers (Yr 2) | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 |
🏆 Officially Recognised Excellence
Lychnis coronaria is listed on the RHS Plants for Pollinators list. Its open, bright flowers are a favourite of bees and butterflies in high summer.
