Perennial geraniums
Its flowers show the gardener all shades of pink, blue, delicate petals surprise with a variety of combinations of lilac and violet with white. Geranium leaves are also unique: they differ in shape (and each species has its own unique one), as well as color (the color ranges from yellowish and light green to violet-purple; by the way, there are varieties with decorative foliage with several shades and even unique patterns).
In Russia, this plant is sometimes called "crane tree", and this name directly goes back to the origin of the word "geranium" - from the Greek "geranion" (or "geranios"), which means "crane". Ancient botanists discovered the resemblance of the flower's fruits to a crane's beak, and the leaves reminded them of the tracks of a crane's legs.
The telling name was given to the plant in Bulgaria, where geranium is called “health resort” - for its medicinal properties. For medical purposes, as a rule, the aerial parts are collected, but sometimes the roots are also used. Preparations from forest geranium, blood-red and marsh geranium help with gastritis, colitis, enteritis, food poisoning, treat diseases of the upper respiratory tract, and heal wounds. Geranium is said to be able to dissolve kidney and bladder stones.
Geranium and pelargonium - what's the difference?
Very often, geranium is called a houseplant, which is only distantly related to the heroine of our article. Both flowers belong to the same family (geraniums), but pelargonium looks different: its flowers and leaf shapes are completely different. Although the fruits of the plant also resemble a long beak, scientists came up with a different name for the flower, took the Greek word “pelargos” (which can be translated as “stork”) and created “pelargonium”.
Pelargonium was brought to Europe from Africa, and geranium is a European plant. Pelargoniums are heat-loving and will not survive winter in open ground, which cannot be said about geraniums (crane beetle) - they are tenacious, unpretentious and patient.
Pelargoniums are used for growing in apartments, they decorate summer flower beds and verandas, plant them on balconies, and put them in a warm room for the winter. Geraniums grow well in gardens; they do not need to be covered for the winter.
In our country, the cranebird is widespread: meadow and forest geranium can be found almost everywhere, except for the northern and Far Eastern regions, where conditions are too harsh for the flower. But it’s unlikely that anyone will go into the forest for flowering bushes to decorate their garden, because on sale you can find unusual bright varieties with bright and showy flowers, decorative foliage, and even those that change color in the autumn... Geraniums are fragrant, giving the garden fresh and a slightly tart smell of mountains, forests... Already want it? Then let's move on to practice.
Simple agricultural technology
Geraniums do not require special agricultural technology. Loose, fertile soils are suitable for most species; crane grass grows patiently on both acidic and neutral soil. There are slight differences depending on the type of plant: rock geraniums respond with great pleasure to light sandy soils, while the meadow species lives well on heavy clay soil.
Most types of geraniums love light, but do not respect bright sun. Plants are comfortable in partial shade, and although they can grow in direct sunlight, it is better to plant protectors from the scorching sun, such as cereals, next to them.
Geraniums are easy to propagate by seeds and also vegetatively. A dry, but clearly living geranium root from a garden supermarket must be moistened and kept at a temperature of +2 degrees before planting in the ground. As soon as spring has arrived and the earth has warmed up, it’s time to plant the new inhabitant of the garden. If you plan to divide a bush growing on your site, then it is better to do this in the spring, when it begins to wake up from winter sleep.
There is no need to cover geraniums for the winter; most species also do not need to cut off the foliage. If your pet cannot be classified as a winter-green geranium, then cut off the dried leaves in late autumn, and with the beginning of the new season, the cranberry will produce fresh and tender foliage.
Variety of geranium species
They grow well in width and form dense flowering thickets. geranium dalmatian And macrorhizomatous.
In Dalmatian, the foliage part grows up to 15 centimeters, creating a lush green carpet, above which flower stalks rise. The height of the stems with delicate pink flowers reaches 30 centimeters. Some gardeners use Dalmatian geranium leaves simply and practically - they add them to tea to give it a special aroma.
Historically, Dalmatian geranium grew in the mountainous regions of the Alps and Pyrenees, which is why its root system is strong and can adapt to almost any conditions. Rocky and dry soil or fertile and well-groomed soil - in both cases the crane bird will not be sad, but will continue to grow and bloom. What Dalmatian geranium definitely doesn’t like is stagnant waterlogging, but it can easily tolerate short-term “floods”.
is a sweet and modest inhabitant of the wild. Tough and unpretentious, forms dense and fairly tall bushes, flower stalks stretch up to 120 centimeters. The bluish-lilac flowers of meadow geranium open in early summer, in June. By the way, if you cut it in the middle of the warm season, you can wait for flowers again in the fall!
This savage became the ancestor of many popular varieties, like another guest from the forest - forest geranium. Its numerous flowers vary in hue from bluish-purple to purple to violet.
The plants are similar, they are easy to find in the wild, and it is from them that very attractive varietal geraniums originate, which we will definitely talk about a little further.
Loves sunny areas and fertile soil. Under these conditions, it will show all its decorative capabilities: fluffy leaves with jagged edges will have a rich green color all summer, bright light purple flowers will bloom in July, and in the fall the foliage will change color to orange or brown-red.
The height of the magnificent geranium bushes is about half a meter, but keep in mind that this beauty grows very actively. The plant does not produce seeds, therefore, in order to plant geraniums, in spring or autumn it is necessary to divide the bush.
It is one of those geraniums whose foliage must be removed for the winter. This plant can be planted on rocky soils, but fertile and well-moistened soil will be more favorable for it; the planting area should be light without excessive shading.
Flat petal geranium has a rich aroma. It blooms in mid-June, and the purple mass of flowers does not disappear until August. In autumn, the leaves take over the decorative baton, changing color to yellow-red.
Blood red geranium(or blood red) has overwintering leaves that retain their rich color throughout the year. Remember that there is no need to cut off foliage during frosts! The dense color of the openwork greenery is perfectly harmonized with red flowers, which appear on the bush in large numbers in June.
Peculiarity geraniums Vlasov The fact is that its stems are branched, and its soft lilac flowers are riddled with dark veins. Geranium Vlasov can be found wild in damp areas of forests, wet meadows, on river banks and even near swamps. The gardener should ensure that the plant receives the right amount of moisture on time and is planted in the right place. It grows well in height, remaining between half a meter and a meter.
photophilous Renard's geranium has very beautiful leaves: olive green, velvety below and as if wrinkled along the edges and on the upper side. Due to the decorative nature of the foliage, the plant is forgiven for its relatively short flowering (you can admire the white flowers and purple veins for two, maximum three weeks at the beginning of summer). The height of Genard's geranium is about 30 centimeters. She loves the sun, calmly tolerates lack of moisture and short dry periods.
Soft pink flowers appear in July on Endris geraniums(Endressa), and over time they become darker. As a result, a flower garden with several bushes can combine several shades of pink at once.
This geranium loves light and is drought-resistant. The gardener should remember that the winter-green foliage of the plant does not require pruning at the end of the summer season. Also note that the Endressa geranium's root system is very close to the surface, and know that this plant is suitable for growing in containers.
We did not talk about all types of geraniums; this is simply impossible to do in one article. In order not to turn the publication into a thick reference book, we will stop here and move on to the most favorite pastime of gardeners and designers - choosing the most beautiful variety! Let's pay attention to the common ones and admire the lesser-known geraniums.
Geranium varieties
In first place in popularity among geraniums is the variety 'Rozanne'. The plant is loved for its large blue flowers with a white center and contrasting dark stamens. Each flower can reach 2 cm in diameter.
This beauty pleases the eye for up to 4 weeks, starting from the second ten days of June. If you do a little pruning after flowering, then the geranium 'Roseanne' will bloom again. During the summer, the foliage remains a rich green color, and by autumn it changes color to brown-red.
Among the low-growing plants, one of the most beloved is the blood-red geranium variety. ‘Striatum’. The growth of spherical bushes with lacy leaves is no more than 10 cm, and against this miniature background, light pink flowers with a diameter of up to one and a half centimeters seem simply gigantic. Geranium flowers ‘Striatum’ tender and beautiful: pink stripes scatter from the dark center along the light petals.
Terry variety of Himalayan geranium 'Plenum' has dim but noticeable flowers, similar to a blooming rose. You can see them starting from the first half of June. Bushes ‘Plenum’ reach a height of 35 cm and grow very quickly.
Geranium varieties 'Plenum' Tolerates a lack of moisture, but may not withstand its excess. It is better to save soil into which too much humus has been added for other plants - ‘Plenum’ will be more willing to grow in poorer soil. This geranium feels great and looks good in rockeries.
Meadow geranium varieties 'Hocus Pocus' surprises the gardener and visiting neighbors with dark lilac-brown foliage. Against this background, large light lilac-blue flowers literally shine.
'Hocus Pocus' prefers sunny places with fertile but sufficiently dry soil. A large amount of sun makes the color of the foliage rich, so choose the lightest areas for this geranium, then even after flowering the bush will be decorative.
Another variety of meadow geranium that enjoys the well-deserved love of knowledgeable gardeners is 'Splish-Splash'. A very large flower (up to 3 cm) white with blue-lilac spots and stripes. Each flower has its own unique pattern. In a sunny or slightly shaded place, with moderate watering, the plant will thank you for a long time with a lush cloud of flowers.
With the onset of autumn, geranium foliage 'Splish-Splash' changes color from green to orange. Each bush can grow up to 75 centimeters in width, and the curtain reaches half a meter or a little more in height. Decent dimensions make geranium a good option for the second or even third plan in flower beds.
Variety 'Wargrave Pink' cannot boast of the size of the flowers, but they are bright and have convex veins on the petals. Openwork foliage overwinters safely without loss of color. Geranium grows very quickly, reproduces well by self-sowing and blooms for a long time.
Another variety with flowers that have pretty veins - 'Claridge Druce'. It is pleasantly different from the previous geranium with large flowers with a diameter of up to 3 cm. The bush itself is more compact, growing up to 40 centimeters. The color of the flowers is light pink, closer to lavender.
Geranium 'Claridge Druce' blooms all summer from June to September. A mind-boggling number of flowers turns the flowerbed into a delicate cloud.
We did not talk about ashen (gray) geranium in the “Types” section, but it is quite famous among geranium connoisseurs. Its charm is in the smoky, velvety foliage. Among the miniature varieties of ash geranium, the variety deserves attention 'Laurence Flatman'. Slightly compressed lavender-colored flowers with purple veins and a dark center have a modest size, but for short curtains (they reach a height of 15 cm) this is quite enough.
In addition to its harmonious appearance, geranium 'Laurence Flatman' It is worth loving and respecting for its longevity: in one place a plant can grow and bloom for more than 10 years! To prevent the decorative effect from being let down, geraniums should be planted in a sunny area.
Using geranium in landscape design
Low-growing varieties of geranium are perfect for making a beautiful flowering circle around the tree. Here such qualities as shade tolerance and drought resistance of certain species and varieties will come in handy. A soft and bright carpet under the canopy of a tree will look just great.
Experts call geranium and rose a win-win combination. It will be difficult for a simple geranium to outshine the queen of flowers, but it will delicately highlight the beauty of the prickly beauty and create a worthy background against which the rose will look even better.
Low-growing geraniums look interesting in rockeries. The pastel-muted colors of the stones harmonize well with the bright flowers of blood-red geranium, as well as with the pink petals of Dalmatian geranium.
Low species and varieties of geraniums are suitable for growing in containers. It is noteworthy that there is no need to remove flower pots for the winter, but it is worth covering them slightly. Also, low-growing geraniums can be planted along the path, then you will get a charming, unpretentious and easy-to-care border.
Most often, geraniums are used in mixborders. Dense greenery fills the space; the attention of your garden guests will definitely be attracted by the shape of the leaves, noticeable flowers and pleasant aroma. Despite their modesty and simplicity, geraniums give the flower garden a complete, noble appearance.
Geranium is so friendly that it gets along and looks harmonious with almost any garden plant. In mixborders and flower beds, it will not put pressure on its neighbors, but will modestly highlight their beauty, not forgetting to demonstrate its decorative properties.
In most cases, a mixborder for geraniums is the pinnacle of a flower career, although cranberry is also good in solitaire plantings. Geraniums still have more fans abroad than in our country. In 2013, at the famous annual Chelsea Flower Show, the humble cranebird was recognized as the plant of the century! Do you believe it?! And geranium variety ‘Rozanne’ several years ago (namely in 2008) became perennial of the year!
It’s probably time to appreciate the modest and charming geranium and decorate your gardens with this plant. And for those fans of crane grass who are already growing it on their plots, we suggest that they take up advertising of geraniums! Send photos of your favorites to the Green Portal editorial office and let other readers see your flower beds. We are waiting for letters with photos! And good luck to you in your gardening endeavors.
Garden geranium came to our gardens from the foothills, meadows and forest edges. Caring for and growing this crop does not take much time. Geranium is unpretentious to the soil in which it grows. But for abundant and long flowering, a loose, fertile, well-ventilated plant is better. If the soil is clayey, it should be fertilized with organic matter. The ideal prepared area for planting garden geraniums is one to which peat moss and manure have been added.
Garden geranium loves an open and illuminated place. Planting and caring for it does not require much time. Some species can grow in shaded areas on dry soil. The main thing is that it is rich in nutrients and well drained. This plant has an average level of moisture requirements.
Planting garden geranium
Garden geraniums are planted in early spring and early autumn. Planting and care in open ground begin with preparing the flower bed. To do this, you need to dig it up along with humus or moss. Then, using a sharp knife, you should divide the rhizome into pieces or separate the side fragments from the bush and plant them. After this, water and mulch the surface thoroughly to retain moisture.
When planting, you should remember the plant’s ability to grow in width. Therefore, the area must be calculated taking into account the growth prospects. The distance between bushes should be 25-30 centimeters. It should also be left because garden geranium does not like transplanting. A large distance allows the flower to grow for a long time in one place. There is no need to worry about this; within a year the plants will close together and no gaps will be visible.
In fairness, I must say that among meadow geraniums there are real beauties that are very different from those described above. First of all, they are red-leaved (with beet-colored leaves).
There are many such varieties: Focus Pocus, Victor Reiter, Midnight Reiter, Okeu Dokey, Purple Heron, Black Beauty... The latter has foliage, perhaps the most
dark, black-purple. The flowers are all lilac-pinkish-violet in different shades. But the most important thing is that they look very attractive even after flowering. The bush is not tall, retains its shape well and is quite decorative until autumn.
And to finish with the varieties of meadow geranium, a few words about its double varieties. My favorites are the lavender-flowered Summer Skies and the purple-flowered Plenum Violaceum. Yes, they grow up to a meter long and then fall apart. But their flowers are amazing: little roses! They bloom very profusely. After flowering, it is advisable to trim them and remove them out of sight. But we don’t always refuse, for example, tulips, despite the fact that after flowering and before digging they are simply terrible!
What about geraniums of hybrid origin? Sometimes various companies offer us new products about which it is difficult to obtain information. You have to experience everything yourself, take risks. Moreover, it is not always possible to say something definite about it in the first year of life of a particular variety.
For example, hybrid geranium Orkney Cherry. When it bloomed for the first time, I was even upset: small (less than a centimeter) rare flowers on a small bush. They say about these: you will find more beautiful ones in the nearest meadow. And I was ready to agree with this! But the next year the bush grew, and the promised burgundy color of the leaves came from somewhere. The flowers have become numerous, and the bush itself is very cute. And the “ugly duckling” variety has turned into one of my favorites.
Unfortunately, this doesn't always happen. For example, the hybrid geranium variety Orion is a universally recognized beauty. Blue petals with an almost white center, the flower is large - the size of an old nickel.
The plant blooms for a long time, but not all summer. And after flowering the bush falls apart in different directions. You have to either cut off the drooping stems, “admiring” the bare place in the flower garden and wait for new greenery to grow, or choose a different route for walking around the garden, bypassing the corner where this, in principle, excellent geranium is planted.
Or, speaking of new products, my purchase from the year before last was the Oxford geranium variety Walter Gift (Geranium oxonianum Walter Gift). Judging by the pattern on the leaf, it looks more like an old variety of the same hybrid, Katherine Adele. But the new product has dark spots on the leaves that are clearer and more contrasting. But the flower... Yes, it is very beautiful: almost white petals with pronounced lilac veins. But these bright veins-“veins” indicate that in this variety the “blood” of one of the parents of the Oxford geranium prevails, namely the multi-colored geranium (Geranium versicolor), which does not overwinter in our conditions. The second parent, Endras geranium (Geranium endrasii), is absolutely winter-hardy in our area. So we get a kind of “tug of war”: if the hybrid has a stronger genotype of the winter-hardy parent, then the offspring live with us without any hassle. Well, and, accordingly, vice versa. Another beautiful, very winter-hardy variety of this geranium is Wargrave Pink. It blooms for a long time, more than two months.
But this time period is not the limit for hybrid geraniums. The Jolly Bee variety remains unsurpassed in terms of flowering duration. Having started to bloom in mid-June, it does not stop until autumn. In my area on the Karelian Isthmus, this variety sometimes disappears under the snow with flowers. And the hand does not rise to trim this miracle!
To my great regret, very few new varieties of the “evergreen trinity” are appearing - large-rhizome, Dalmatian and a hybrid between these two types of Cambridge geranium (Geranium macrorrhizum, Geranium dalmaticum and Geranium cantabrigiense). Agree, it’s wonderful when, after the snow melts, you see not bare ground, but a carpet of green leaves. But there have been no new products in this group of geraniums for several years.
Garden geranium - varieties: photo
1. Meadow geranium DoubleJewel. 2. Meadow geranium Summer Skies. 3. Hybrid geranium Orkney Cherry. 4. Dark geranium Margaret Wilson 5. Jolly Bee. Photo above. Geranium variety Mrs. Kendal ClarkIt is difficult to consider all types and varieties of geraniums in one article.
I have touched only on those that, as they say, are in extreme positions: their characteristics have more pros or cons. And this does not mean at all that what I don’t like or didn’t succeed in will behave the same way in your garden.
Everyone’s gardens are different, and the climatic and microclimatic conditions are also different. But I can vouch for one thing: all the types and varieties that have received flattering reviews from me will not cause problems for you. And they will decorate your garden for a long, long time.
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Many people think that geranium and pelargonium are the same plant, but in fact they belong to different genera of the same geranium family (Geraniaceae).
Garden geranium (Geranium), unlike its heat-loving distant relative, feels quite well in the open ground and has long enjoyed well-deserved popularity all over the world. The birthplace of most new varieties of garden geraniums is good old England and this is not surprising, given that it is Great Britain that is considered the trendsetter in landscape garden style. And the modest beauty of garden geranium fully corresponds to the qualities necessary for its creation.
Geranium hybrid "Rozanne"
Description of garden geranium
Garden geranium is valued not only and not so much for its beautiful flowering, but for its attractive habit - it forms compact, dense bushes with spectacular openwork leaves that retain their decorative effect until winter, can grow into a thick carpet and have different sizes and colors of flowers and leaves. In all the variety of colors of geranium flowers, only yellow and orange are missing; their size ranges from 2.5 to 4.5 cm.
Of course, the climatic conditions of southern England differ significantly from ours, but nevertheless, there are winter-hardy and viable species and hybrids recommended for central Russia.
Meadow geranium (Geranium pratense)
Meadow geranium ) is a short-rhizome perennial, often found in the wild and has many garden cultural forms, forms dense bushes up to 120 cm high, blue-purple flowers bloom in June.
"Galaktik"- an albino variety with white flowers and light green leaves.
"Mrs. Kendal Clark"-has light purple flowers with white veining, the bush tends to fall apart.
"Rose Queen"- has delicate light pink flowers with orange stamens that look charming against the backdrop of lush green foliage.
"Striatum"- a variety with original white flowers dotted with blue strokes and spots.
"Splish-Splash"- similar to the previous variety with lilac strokes on a white field. The bush is more compact than other representatives of meadow geranium and its size does not exceed 60 cm. It blooms in June - early July.
This species also has terry forms: "Plenum Album"(white), "Plenum Cerulium"(purple-blue), "Plenum Violyaceum"(blue-purple with a reddish center) and others.
In addition, there are varieties of meadow geranium with black-purple and red-purple leaves, which are very impressive in various combinations - "Victor Reiter", Midnight Reuters, "Pearl Heron".
Geranium red-brown (Geranium phaeum) is a forest species of geranium, found naturally in Central Europe. The short-rhizome perennial reaches half a meter in height (without peduncles), is decorative due to the hemispherical shape of the bush and beautiful leaves that grow early after winter and persist until frost.
"Album"- a variety that has fairly large white flowers and light green leaves.
"Stillingfleet Gost"- has an unusual pink-gray color of flowers and small dark green leaves.
"Lily Lowell"- one of the most spectacular forms, with large blue-purple flowers and light green openwork leaves.
There are also many variegated varieties that have a pale green or cream appearance - "Variegatum", "Maggies Dilight", "Tafs Jessher".
Geranium red-brown "Album"
Blood red geranium (Geranium sanguineum) - in nature, this species is found in the mountain forests of Europe and the Caucasus. A short-rhizome perennial with strongly dissected rounded leaves, forms dense clumps up to 60 cm high, blooms in June-July with pink flowers.
Of the most popular forms, it is worth noting "Album"(white), "Prostranum"(pale pink with dark veining, the species is also known as "Striatum"), "Max Frey"(dark crimson). Dwarf cultivars 30-40 cm high - "Nanum", "Jubilee Pin",Shepherd's Warning.
Geranium macrorhizomatous (Geranium macrorrhizum) - found wild in the Carpathians and the Alps, a large-rhizomatous perennial that forms actively growing dense clumps, reaching 1 m in diameter and no more than 40 cm in height. In warm climates, the leaves emerge green from under the snow. Popular cultural forms - "Whiteness"(pure white), "Bevans Variety"(raspberry red), "Tsakor"(magenta), "Balkanum"(pale pink), variegated species are also available.
Geranium eriantum (Geranium errianthum) - in nature, this species is distributed from Eastern Siberia to Alaska, and accordingly is very winter-hardy. Forms dense compact bushes up to 50 cm in height, the flowers are collected in umbellate inflorescences of lilac-violet color.
Renard's geranium (Geranium renarii) is a Caucasian species of geranium, which is distinguished by beautiful olive-green vesicular leaves with wavy edges and no less beautiful white flowers with lilac veining. The height of the bush is no more than 20cm.
Dalmatian geranium ( Geranium dalmaticum) - one of the lowest types of geraniums, forms dense “pillows” no more than 10-15 cm high. It blooms in mid-summer with bright pink flowers with a diameter of 3.5 cm.
Garden geranium. Care
Meadow geraniums require fertile, loose soil and an open or lightly shaded location. Mountain species of geraniums prefer lighter, nutritious soils and a sunny place for planting. Forest geraniums can withstand even dry shade and not very nutritious soils.
Species that grow greatly in width due to the superficial short rhizome should be planted at a distance of at least 25-30 cm, because firstly, next year they will already close together, and secondly, geraniums grow in one place for a very long time without needing to be transplanted, which means they need to be allocated enough space in advance for subsequent growth.
Species that form a compact bush and have large leaves on long petioles should be planted at a distance equal to twice the length of the petiole. Then the spherical shape of the bush, which gives the plant a special beauty, will not be disturbed.
Garden geraniums do not need special care, they do not need pruning - you can remove faded inflorescences, but this is not necessary, since they lower them themselves, hiding them under the leaves. The branches of geraniums are so tightly closed that practically no weeds grow under them and, therefore, they do not need weeding. And if the free areas are mulched or planted with low-growing crops, then there will be no need for loosening. A very useful property of geranium is that it never gets sick; moreover, garden geranium, emitting a specific spicy aroma around itself, saturated with essential oils and phytoncides, protects its neighbors in the flowerbed from diseases and pests.
Propagation of garden geraniums
Garden geranium is propagated by cuttings of rhizomes and seeds. In one place without replanting, a geranium bush can grow for 8-10 years or even more, and only then the plant may need to rejuvenate the bush. Dig out the bush in the spring before or after flowering. Only young, healthy rhizomes with developed buds are left, and old ones are removed. The plant very quickly forms new roots and takes root well in its new location.
The seed method is not as good as the previous one and is more labor-intensive; moreover, it does not preserve varietal characteristics. It is better to sow fresh seeds, but collecting them is quite problematic, since when fully ripe the valves burst and the seeds scatter in different directions. Seedlings bloom the next year after planting.
Garden geranium in landscape design
Possessing many of the advantages discussed above, garden geranium easily finds a place in any garden. Dwarf species are ideally suited to the definition; they can also be used for mixborders and ridges with roses, including standard ones. Large-rhizome geranium can be used as a universal ground cover.
Renard's geranium is very good for planting in the foreground in gray or silver mixborders as a tonal or color contrast.
Forest geraniums will be especially beautiful in joint plantings on the edges or among bushes with ferns, aquilegias, cornflowers and other shade-tolerant plants.
Tall types of garden geraniums are used in mixed mixborders with other perennials to create “wild” areas in a landscape style. In the foreground of such plantings, unpretentious ground covers will look most natural - loosestrife, .
Meadow geranium "Wisley Blue"
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We all know and love this rather unpretentious flower - geranium. It has hundreds of species and varieties, and now we will talk about the garden version of geranium, that is, the one that can grow in open ground. In general, this is the same geranium that grows at home in a pot, but, of course, there are differences - it is a more sparse range of colors, and not particularly lush flowering. So, what is perennial garden geranium: types and varieties with photos and descriptions.
Unpretentious perennial garden geranium: varieties with photos
Garden geranium is a small herbaceous shrub with curly carved leaves that will decorate the area from spring to autumn. It is the foliage that is its value. Due to the fact that garden geranium is not very demanding and can get along in a wide variety of soils, it is successfully planted in many areas.
Of course, when choosing geraniums for a garden plot, you should focus on the varieties that are most suitable for this area, which have characteristics that are more adapted to certain natural conditions. Let's look at several different types of garden geraniums:
Balkan/large-rhizome geranium (Geranium macrorrhizum)
The name of this type of perennial garden geranium is telling. Firstly, it originally grew in the Balkans, and secondly, it has a larger rhizome than other varieties, spreading along the ground and from which petioles grow about 20 cm long, with rosettes at the tips. This entire system of Balkan geraniums forms a dense carpet on the soil. The height of the shrub is no more than 30cm. The leaves of this variety are large (width reaches 10 cm), with large round-toothed edges, and have a medium green color. But with the arrival of autumn they fade into reddish shades.
The flowering of Balkan geranium begins at the end of June and lasts about a month. The flowers are small (3 cm in diameter), but bright - purple.
This variety also has a fairly strong aroma of mountain air.
As for landscape design, Balkan geranium is best planted next to stones - their combination will give an indescribable look. And in mixed large flower beds it is worth placing it in the foreground, in front of taller plants.
Varieties: Spessagt, Czakor, Ingwersen's Variety, Insversen, Variegata.
Blood red geranium (Geranium sanguineum)
This perennial variety of geranium is famous for its abundant flowering - the bush is simply strewn with bright red flowers, 4 cm in diameter. Its flowering is not only abundant, but also long-lasting - it lasts throughout the summer season. The bush itself can grow up to 60 cm, but most often it is low, with light green rounded foliage with a dissected pattern. By autumn, the lower foliage acquires a reddish tint. The rhizome of blood-red geranium is large, knotty, with bristly petioles, on which the leaves actually hang. It is worth noting that this type of geranium has an interesting bush shape - spherical, as well as increased decorativeness - in spring, summer and autumn it will serve as a decoration for the site.
When planting this type of geranium, you should focus on conditions such as neutral or slightly alkaline soil pH, and partial shade is also important.
Varieties: Album, Prostratum, Compactum, Lancastriense, Nana.
Swamp geranium (Geranium palustre)
This type of garden geranium grows independently in marshy areas and meadows. Therefore, it is best to plant it on the site in the same places - with high humidity, near water, but these places must be sunny.
The leaves of the plant are large, seven-parted, formed on long (20 cm) hairy stems. With the onset of August, all the foliage, unfortunately, falls off, leaving only a flower-bearing, branched, tall stem on which you can contemplate several flowers (3 cm in diameter) surrounded by foliage. Marsh geranium seeds are ready in August and form self-sowing.
A positive characteristic of this type of geranium is its “non-capriciousness” in growth and care. In landscape design, it is best suited for mixed flower beds.
Georgian geranium (Geranium ibericum)
This type of geranium is considered almost the most beautiful, thanks to its abundant flowering of bright purple flowers against the background of bluish foliage. Flowers with bright veins are collected in umbrella-shaped inflorescences. Flowering, starting in June, lasts only 1.5 months. Georgian geranium blooms every year, regardless of the weather.
This garden geranium is perennial, and if left undisturbed (no replanting or dividing the bush), it can last up to 12 years. Quite unpretentious, has good resistance to the vagaries of weather.
The Georgian geranium bush is quite tall, can reach up to 80 cm. And in appearance it is strong and substantial. The rhizome is short and obliquely growing. The bluish foliage is round, with jagged edges, and has about 6 cuts. This color of the leaves comes from the fact that they are pubescent. In autumn they turn red and then die off.
When planting, you should take into account that Georgian geranium loves only the sun and fertile lands. In landscape design, it is used as a single plant and planted on lawns.
Himalayan or grandiflora geranium (Geranium himalayense = G. grandiflorum)
This variety came to us from the Himalayas - there it grows freely in the meadows. Quite large flowers of this geranium (d = 5 cm) of a rich violet color, with a certain blue, stitched with dark veins - catch the eye from anywhere in the garden. On the peduncle, at the end of May, 2 flowers bloom, which remain on the bush all summer. Flowers of this variety have a pleasant, noticeable scent.
From the rhizome, geranium grows, covering the soil with shoots. The bush can reach a height of up to 60 cm. The leaves are round in shape, unevenly dissected. These shrubs prefer to grow in sunny places and are quite demanding on drainage.
This variety also has a slightly different form - low-growing, in which the bush is small, dense, no higher than 30 cm.
In landscape design, Himalayan geranium is most often used in rockeries and borders.
Varieties: Gravetye, Jonson's Blue, Plenum.
Meadow geranium (Geranium pratense)
The difference between meadow geranium is, perhaps, its high growth. Its few stems can stretch up to 120 cm. But the bush is not always stable and can fall apart. There is a lot of basal foliage; it begins to appear early - in April. The leaf is hairy, seven-fold, the lobes are diamond-shaped.
As for flowering, it begins in mid-June and lasts no further than mid-July. Flowers of meadow geranium with rounded petals have a delicate lilac-cornflower blue color. The seeds ripen by August.
In the landscape, her prerogative is mixed flower beds, especially for those varieties that imitate a flowering meadow.
Varieties: Flore Pleno, Splish Splash, Mrs Kendall Clarc.
Forest geranium (Geranium sylvaticum)
This variety of geranium loves dark places and grows well in excessively moist and loose soils.
The flowers are pink-lilac-purple, depending on the variety, fully open. During the flowering period, two flowers are formed on the peduncle; flowering is short-lived - about 20 days.
The rhizome of forest geranium is long; several long stems (80 cm) extend from it, which branch in different directions. The leaves of the shrub are located on long hairy petioles, have rounded outlines, and are divided into 7 parts. The edges are jagged. The downside is that the leaves die off very early - already in August, so use in the landscape is only possible in the background in mixed flower beds.
Magnificent geranium (Geranium × magnificum)
This geranium has been known for a very long time. The appearance of the bush is dense, large, 60 cm high. In addition, it grows quite quickly, conquering new areas. But large shrubs can also fall apart. The magnificent geranium is light-loving and demanding of fertility.
Flowering begins in July. The flowers are numerous, scattered throughout the bush, have a light purple, light lilac color, which fades into yellow-orange shades in the fall. The flower itself is beautiful, jagged, with five-parted petals.
The peculiarity of the magnificent geranium is that it does not produce seeds.
Varieties: Mrs. Kendall Clark, Rosemoore, Lighter Schatten.
Basic requirements for caring for garden geraniums
Watering is the first part of care. It should be regular, but you shouldn’t “water” the plant. It needs abundant watering only after planting itself, for rooting, and during the dry season. In principle, you just need to keep an eye on the garden geranium - if its leaves begin to droop, this indicates a lack of moisture, which means water it urgently!
Loosening and mulching are perhaps the most necessary components of care, since geranium loves light and loose soil. You can plant ground cover plants next to it - they also “loose” the soil well. If the soil fertility in the area is still low, then to prevent the soil next to the flower from turning into crust after watering, it is better to walk nearby with a flat cutter.
Geranium pruning is carried out periodically, mainly by removing yellow, dry leaves, dead shoots, and broken stems. This will both improve the health of the bush and promote growth. Pruning prolongs the flowering of the bush.
Geranium does not need fertilizing as such. When planting, peat and compost are enough for her. But if you really want to, you can use complex organomineral fertilizers, but do not overuse them. Geranium also has a negative attitude towards transplants.
Garden geraniums also have two misfortunes - bacterial rot and wilting. But if the agrotechnical process is fully followed, and care is carried out correctly and regularly, then these diseases are not terrible for the bush.
Garden geranium partners in landscape design
Garden geranium is a very flexible perennial; it can be used in almost any landscape composition. For example, you can use it to line the lower tier of a rosary:
Geranium is a good partner for any type of peony. In partial shade it combines beautifully with hellebore and bitterweed. In the sun - with sage, irises and speedwell.
It looks great in the tree trunks of fruit trees, as well as at the edge of shrubs.
We are sure that you have got a general idea of what perennial garden geranium is, and based on photos of its most popular species, you can choose interesting varieties for your site. In the next article we will focus on methods of propagating street geraniums.
Garden geranium flowers often called cranes, they are located on thin peduncles, and the not yet opened drooping buds resemble the heads of birds with a long beak, opening, the flowers rise towards the sun. At first glance, the flowering of garden geraniums is not as bright and lush as other garden flowers, but this perennial plant has a natural, pure beauty, and now it is fashionable to create gardens and flower arrangements in a natural style. Catchy front flower beds are more suitable for decorating city streets; it is better to create green corners for relaxation near the house, using unpretentious perennial ornamental plants.
Garden geranium can grow in one place for up to 5-7 years, while the splendor of flowering will only increase, and the bush will gradually grow. By choosing winter-hardy varieties of perennial geraniums, their beautiful green leaves will decorate your flower beds in early spring. By summer, a lush bush is formed from large basal leaves on long petioles and tall leafy stems with peduncles at the tops. Flowering of perennial geraniums begins in early summer and lasts one and a half to two months until the end of July - mid-August.
Various types and varieties of garden geraniums can be selected according to the color of the flowers, their shape, also according to the color of the leaves, the height of the plant and the requirements for the place of growth - in the shade, partial shade or in a sunny place.
Genus Geranium (Geranium) belongs to the geranium family (Geraniaceae), as well as the genus Pelargonium (Pelargonium), but these are two different genera. Garden geraniums are adapted to temperate climates and grow well in open ground, while pelargoniums are heat-loving plants, they can only be grown as indoor flowers in pots, and planted in the garden only in the summer. Plants of these two genera also differ in their habitat; pelargoniums come from South Africa, where there are no negative temperatures, and geraniums grow in temperate climates from Europe to Siberia and the Far East, in North America.
Geranium is best adapted to our climate. meadow (Geraniumpratense). In the wild, this plant grows along river banks, in meadows and forest edges. Meadow geranium is a perennial plant; its rhizome grows, forming a dense bush with stems up to 1 meter high. The leaves are seven-fingered at the base on long petioles, five-fingered in the center of the stems, and three-fingered at the apex. The greenery of meadow geranium has soft pubescence. Meadow geranium blooms from early June to mid-August. Flowers last 2-3 days. The geranium flower has a regular corolla of five identical petals.
Depending on the variety, the color of meadow geranium flowers can be white (Galaktik variety), lavender with white veins (Mrs. Kendal Clark), pink (Rose Queen), purple (Silver Queen). There are varieties with double-shaped flowers, as well as with decorative leaf coloring, dark brown almost black spots on the leaf blades.
Meadow geranium will grow well in a sunny place with clayey, moist soil in the company of other plants that prefer the same conditions - these are bathwort, loosestrife, ranunculus or buttercup, meadowsweet.
Forest geranium (G.sylvaticum) often found in our forests, where it grows in the shade of trees and bushes. This is a plant with a powerful rhizome, from which straight stems rise 80 cm high. The lower basal leaves are larger than the upper ones and grow on petioles, and the upper ones sit on the stems. Forest geranium flowers are predominantly pink or purple in color. Forest geranium blooms from July to August.
Choose a place in the garden for planting forest geraniums in the shade or partial shade of tall trees; under their crowns the plant will be protected from the heat in summer. There are beautiful varieties with white flowers (Album), pink (Baker's Pink), blue-violet (Mayflower) and a large-flowered variety (Immacule).
Geranium red-brown (G.phaeum) grows in the forests of Central Europe; in the garden it is also best to plant it in shady places under trees. This variety of garden geranium has beautiful leaves that form a beautifully shaped bush 50 cm high, peduncles rise to a height of 80-90 cm. Beautiful varieties of red-brown geranium - Album with white flowers and light greenery, Lily Lowen with purple flowers, Samobor with decorative leaf color. Variegated varieties of garden geraniums with a light center or cream border look very impressive against the background of dark green shrubs, ferns or hostas. Also, red-brown geranium will be a good neighbor for aquilegia, corydalis and hellebore.
Blood red geranium (G.sanguineum) is distinguished by more openwork leaves. This plant prefers partial shade and will grow well next to other perennial garden plants.
Geranium large rhizomatous (G.macrorhizum) grows naturally in the mountainous regions of the Alps and Carpathians. Prefers shade or partial shade, can tolerate dry places. This geranium blooms from the beginning of summer with small bright pink flowers. Due to the rapid growth of the rhizome, the lodging stems form a dense green carpet, so this plant is often used as a ground cover.
Himalayan geranium (G.himalayese) has the largest flowers, up to 4-6 cm in diameter, bright blue.
Geranium is magnificent (G.magnificum) with large blue-violet flowers up to 5 cm in diameter, the plant is tall up to 70 cm. Loves sunny places.
Small stamen geranium (G.psilostemon) stands out with bright crimson flowers with a black shiny center. The plant forms a beautiful bush with large leaves and stems up to 70 cm high.
Oxonian geranium (G.xoxonianum) not as winter-hardy as previous species, so it requires shelter for the winter. The plant with dissected leaves reaches a height of 80 cm, the flowers are white-pink in color with dark veins.
The following types of garden geraniums are great for decorating alpine slides:
Dalmatian geranium (G.dalmaticum) The shortest type of geranium, no more than 15 cm high, the plant forms a lush cushion on the surface; during the flowering period, bright pink flowers with a diameter of up to 3.5 cm bloom on it.
Ash geranium (G.cineieum) with small leaves that have an ashen tint due to pubescence. The plant is 15 cm tall, the flowers are white, pink, crimson and purple-red.
Garden geranium Perfect for those gardeners who don’t have time to care for plants. These flowers are unpretentious and hardy. Garden geranium grows quickly, forming a lush bush. It is important to choose a place for planting with lighting that matches the selected type of perennial geranium - shade, partial shade or sun. There are large, tall geraniums; they are placed at some distance from other plants, leaving room for the bush to grow. At the same time, tall stems of garden geraniums need protection from strong winds that can knock them over.
Most types and varieties of garden geraniums are quite winter-hardy. To prepare for winter, the above-ground part of the plants is cut off, and the surface of the earth is mulched with humus or dry leaves. In early spring, this shelter needs to be raked to the side.
Geranium is easily propagated by seeds and dividing the bush. Geraniums should be replanted and divided in early spring, when the first greenery appears. The plant is dug up, the rhizome is cut into pieces and replanted. Geraniums should not be replanted in the fall without taking root; the plant may freeze in winter.
