#YouShouldNOTGrowThis: The creeping bellflower

Let's talk creeping bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides).

You've seen this plant. It grows 1-3 ft. tall and produces pretty, light purple flowers on tall spikes over a long period in summer. It is native to Siberia and was brought over to North America as a garden plant by some of the first European settlers. Theythought it had somany attributes. It washardy, disease resistant, andadaptable but that was the problem. It wastoowell suited to life here.

I have abandoned all fantasies of killing it and nowwork merely on controlling it.- LyndonPenner

Firstly, it can grow in sun or shade. It can handle rich or poor soil and can handle both drought and poor drainage. It has no pest or disease issues. Even deer won't eat it. It produces long, narrow tubers very deep under the ground that can stay dormant for long periods, just waiting for the right time to spring up again. It produces wire-thin, creeping rhizomes that infiltrate the surrounding area at an alarming rate. The plant can also produce up to 15 000seeds in a summer, all of which grow and are easily distributed by the wind.

Itis the worst weed ever.Creeping bellflower happily romps through the lawn, finds its way under sidewalksand grows in every back alley in every neighbourhood on the Canadian prairies.Anyyard that is abandoned or neglected quickly becomes hosttogreat multitudes of this plants.

How to get rid of it

Herbicides have very little effect on the creeping bellflower.The Calgary Zoo has been trying to kill itfor over 20 years if that gives you some indication of its tenaciousness. I have abandoned all fantasies of killing it and nowwork merely on controlling it.

The only way to control it is with constantremoval of the shoots and growth as theyappear,and judiciouslycutting the flowers and seedheads off of any plants that dare grow in yourneighbourhood or alley. I have wandered right into people's yards to cut the flowers off. Once an old lady came out of the house to yell at me because I was"wrecking her flowers" and I said if shewanted to put them ina bouquet in her kitchen she could, but otherwise it was coming out. She threatened to phonethe police. I kid you not. She was four doors down from me and Iwas nothaving this nuisance plant propagating itselfhither and yon on my watch!

Anyway, that's a tale for another time but suffice to say, creeping bellflower,you should notgrow this.

#YouShouldDoThis

• Check out Lyndon's tips for what else you should be doing in the garden at the end of August

What is your most hated weed?Want to share your pictures?Show us on Twitter @CBCSaskor Facebookand use the hashtags #YouShouldGrowThis and #YouShouldDoThis.