RE: More Hardy geraniums
- To:
- Subject: RE: More Hardy geraniums
- From: M* D*
- Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2001 20:21:09 -0800
- Importance: Normal
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-perennials@mallorn.com [owner-perennials@mallorn.com] On
Behalf Of Meum71@aol.com
Sent: Friday, January 19, 2001 12:46 AM
To: perennials@mallorn.com
Subject: Re: Hardy geraniums
A plant that looks good but takes up a lot of space is G. 'Johnson's Blue'
Have not found a good way to sell them yet at the farmers market-In the one
gallon cans they grow 2-3 feet long stems that flop all over-never looks
good
on display. Interestingly, Johnson's Blue continues to generate the most
interest, probably because the name is the most well-known. There certainly
are better blues in my estimation. I am very fond of G. himalayense, a very
good blue with nice black anthers and if sheered after the first flush of
bloom, it will repeat off and on through the season.
I like G. sanguineum "New Hampshire Purple" very much yes, a good bloomer
and carefree. and I have a few
'Philippe Vapella' that have done well, hoping this will be a good year for
flower production now that the tree that was growing over them has been
removed. It is a hybrid between renardii and platypetalum. With puplish-blue
flowers and darker blue veins I think renardii and its hybrids have far and
away the prettiest foliage. Renardii flowers aren't anything to write home
about (white with purple veins) but it is evergreen in my climate - a real
plus.
A new one from last year was a plant sold to me as G. 'Brookside' but is
really a plant called 'Nimbus' Great geranium with a very long blooming
period from mid spring till mid summer. Nice blue color with a small
lighter
center. Attractive foliage that stays neat and tidy. Plants grow 15 - 24
inches tall.
Another very popular one here is G. 'Victor Reiter' strain (nice burgundy
leaves) and the newer, darker 'Night Reiter'.
However because they are seed grown the darkness of the leaves is quite
variable. They tend to be rather short lived for me - 3 or 4 seasons.
I bought a new-to-me Geranium 2 years ago just because I couldn't pronounce
the name G. wlassovianum (still can't) and I was curious. It has turned out
to be a very good blue repeat bloomer with a nicely incised leaf.
For shade, I like all the G. phaeums - 'Lily Lovell' (purple with a white
eye), 'Langthorn Blue' (pale mauve-blue with white eye), 'Samobor' ( purple
flower, nice dark purple blotch on the leaf).
Actually, there is only one Geranium that I don't want in my garden and
that is 'Herb Robert' - its got to be right up there with Dandylions and
Crabgrass! Yikes!!
What companion plants are we all growing with the hardy Geraniums? Does
anybody use them in containers?
Marilyn
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