Late May or early June is the time for the hardy geraniums to start making their mark. If you want an easy to care for plant which can form decent ground cover in quick time then look no further. What’s more they come in many colours including lots of true blues.
(1) This is G. pratense, the meadow crane’s-bill or meadow geranium. Grown from seed I have several clumps in the garden. My only complaint is that they grow tall and then flop, especially on windy days. But the violet-blue colour is a delight. It is a native wildflower of Britain and Ireland and in Scandinavia, where this flower is widespread and common, it is called the Mid-summer Flower (Midsommar Blomster).(2) Another G. pratense is ‘Mrs Kendall Clark’ with lilac-blue flowers heavily veined in lighter silver grey. It is also a tall plant. Geranium pratense thrives in most soils, except boggy ones. When the clump gets too large, simply lift the plant in spring and divide into smaller pieces.
(3) Geranium ‘Anne Thomson’ has demonstrated a supreme tolerance of cold and windy conditions, making it ideal for coastal, high-altitude or otherwise exposed gardens. From June onwards, she produces a continual display of bold, vibrant magenta purple flowers, each bloom having distinctive veining and a black centre. Anne is a sprawler, but remains low growing and flowers for ages.
(4) I have several pink geraniums in the garden, some growing in the woodland border in dappled shade and some in full sun. Geranium × oxonianum, the Oxford geranium, is a fertile and variable hybrid between G. endressii and G. versicolor. It has rounded, palmate leaves and pale to dark pink, medium-sized flowers, often veined. Some might consider it invasive. I just pull it out if it gets too big.(5) The magnificums are a cross between G. ibericum and G. platypetalum. They are very tough and will grow almost anywhere, apart from deep shade. The large flowers vary slightly from one variety to another but are usually purply-blue with prominent darker veins, leading to a darker centre of the flower. The ones I have have a short flowering season, usually only a month, but they certainly make a statement.They all have very attractive, grey-green foliage which generally offers good autumn colour.(6) Geranium sanguineum ‘Max Frei’ produces low soft hummocks of tight foliage covered in summer in rich magenta blooms. It grows in virtually any cracks in my garden and is very low making it good for an alpine garden. It also flowers for ages. The foliage turns red in autumn.
Geraniums are suitable for a wide range of different growing conditions, tolerating all but the wettest of soils. Whilst there are Geraniums that are best suited specifically to sun and shade, most will tolerate sun or part shade. Geranium sylvaticum, Geranium nodosum, Geranium phaeum and Geranium macrorrhizum are particularly suited to growing in shady spots.
Jim of Garden Ruminations is now our host and as a former nurseryman has a lot more than the SOS happening over on his blog so well worth following. As always, if you want a peek over other people’s garden walls then please pop over to his site where you find links to many more wonderful garden enthusiasts from all over the world. See here for the participant’s guide.
Wonderful selections, Jude! I love these plants – I was introduced to them on a visit to English gardens many many years ago and found a wonderful source of plants here in the U.S. shortly after. Mine are blooming now too, including Mrs. Kendall Clark which is one of my favorites. Geranium maculatum is native to our area and so I have dozens of the species and a few cultivars – ‘Espresso’ is my favorite. Wonderful plants, so easy to grow.
The emerging foliage is really deep brownish red, it fades a bit after bloom but cutting back the foliage brings back the color and often some rebloom. And insects love the flowers!
A beautiful collection of geraniums! These are amongst my favourite flowers because they encouraged my love of gardening. So easy to grow and divide, they made me realise that I could grow plants. 🙂
Beautiful Geranium flowers and thanks for sharing the description of these.. I do remember seeing a variety of Geranium flowers (red and white) in Denmark.. They look so vibrant.. and the Geranium essential oil does smell heavenly.. Thank you for sharing..
Cornwall in Colours 
Love them, Jude
Me too! Though already Rozanne is far too big for its space, but I hate to cut it back when there are so many flowers.
Haha – yes, I wouldn’t want to do that either. Just let them be… 😉
I love my geraniums too, but I feel they are overlooked here for the upright pelargoniums which are more popular. Amelia
Pelargoniums have their place. I have a few of the scented ones which I love.
You are quite right all plants deserve their place. I saw a beautiful display of scented Pelargoniums at Wisley, many years ago.
Wonderful selections, Jude! I love these plants – I was introduced to them on a visit to English gardens many many years ago and found a wonderful source of plants here in the U.S. shortly after. Mine are blooming now too, including Mrs. Kendall Clark which is one of my favorites. Geranium maculatum is native to our area and so I have dozens of the species and a few cultivars – ‘Espresso’ is my favorite. Wonderful plants, so easy to grow.
Ooh, I always wanted ‘espresso’, I might have to find room.
The emerging foliage is really deep brownish red, it fades a bit after bloom but cutting back the foliage brings back the color and often some rebloom. And insects love the flowers!
A wonderful post on geraniums. I think mine is not Max Frei but that is a lovely one I should consider!
A beautiful collection of geraniums! These are amongst my favourite flowers because they encouraged my love of gardening. So easy to grow and divide, they made me realise that I could grow plants. 🙂
They are wonderful plants, though Rozanne and Anne are rather invasive.
I have Rozanne and she is beginning to spread, which probably means dividing the plant and putting some where there’s a challenging space to fill… 🙂
Beautiful Geranium flowers and thanks for sharing the description of these.. I do remember seeing a variety of Geranium flowers (red and white) in Denmark.. They look so vibrant.. and the Geranium essential oil does smell heavenly.. Thank you for sharing..