One of the tallest bellflowers, this is a real showstopper, with a long flowering period and the added advantage of being low-maintenance and easy to grow. From early summer to early autumn magnificent, large, deep purple, pendent, bell-shaped flowers, 5cm long, appear on tall stems above rosettes of large, hairy leaves. A clump-forming perennial, it's a real asset to a cottage-garden scheme, or a scheme based on blues and purples. Or simply use it to add height to a mixed border.