Monthly Theme: Bring back the charm of an old cottage garden with Rose Campion!

Let’s be honest, sometimes you just need an easy, old faithful, workhorse perennial like the month’s featured plant Silene Coronaria - Rose Campion (Lychnis coronaria). Rose Campion is in the Caryophyllaceae family. It has been grown in Victorian Cottage Gardens for generations, but lost popularity until recent years.

At least 15-years ago, my old manager shared some of her Rose Campion’s with me and they have been effortlessly growing in my yard ever since. She didn’t know the botanical name of the plant and just referred to them as “Pinks.” It’s hard to find in nurseries and garden centers, but the seeds are available online. I’ve given many starter plants away to friends, family, and even strangers. It always feels good to be able to share plants with other garden lovers.

It is considered a short-lived perennial similar to dianthus. It proficiently reseeds and returns year-after-year. However, the first year, it might not bloom in your garden. Once it’s established, it will be popping up everywhere near the original location. Fear not - you can relocate any unwanted volunteers to your desired spot.

Rose Campion prefers a sunny spot on a dry and rocky hillside, which makes it a fine choice for a rock garden. It’s drought and deer resistant (always a plus). It’s not troubled by pests or diseases and it makes a nice cut flower. It will even find a way to grow around tree roots. It doesn’t even need fertilizer. However, if your soil is poor, you can add compost to foster quicker growth.

It starts with a basal rosette, which looks like Lamb’s Ears (Stachys). The leaves are silvery grey and dusty soft to touch. It can grow fuzzy stems 2’-3’ tall and produce small but brilliant magenta flowers. 'Abbotsford Rose' has flowers the color of hot pink, magenta, fuchsia or rose pink. It blooms May through July. If you don’t like pink, ‘Alba’ is a white-flowered version and ‘Angel Blush’ is bicolored. Interestingly, The Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit was once presented to the ‘Alba’ variety – you go girl!

Remember to deadhead the spent flowers to encourage a second showing of flowers. I prune mine back in mid-summer but leave some flowers to go to seed. If you want the plant shorter, pinch back the stems prior to flowering. If you are starting your plant from seed, sow the seeds in the fall. Give the new plants extra TLC (aka water and sunshine) as they get established in your yard.

Smarty Plants Fun Facts

Plant Hardiness Zones 4-8
Rose Campion is in the Caryophyllaceae family
Loamy, well-drained soil
Soil pH neutral to partly acidic
Full to partial sunlight
Blooms May-July
Can grow 12-18” tall

*Rose Campion “Alba” (Lychnis coronaria)*

The More You Grow

Rose Campion is a native of Europe but has been grown in gardens all around the United States since colonial times. In fact, Thomas Jefferson's wrote about this plant in his writings outlining his Monticello gardens.

Let’s breakdown the name Lychnis coronaria. Coronaria (not the COVID-19 virus!) refers to its use in making garlands for champions and this mighty plant is certainly a champion! The word lychnis comes from the Greek word for lamp. Ancient Greeks used the Lychnis leaves as lamp wicks.

Other folk names for this plant include Rabbit's Ears, Crown Pink, Bloody William, Dusty Miller, Lamp Flower, and Mullein Pink. There are double-flowered cultivars, but these are difficult to find. Rose Campion is related to another cottage garden plant, the carnation.

Try planting them with bellflowers, yarrow or phlox in your garden. The foliage is evergreen so even when it is not blooming, it remains attractive.

I hope this beloved old cottage garden plant will find new life in your garden!