Hardy geraniums are the most popular perennials in Britain. And it’s easy to see why. They’re tough and easy to grow, many flowering for months at a stretch
What’s the difference between a geranium and a pelagonium? ‘Geranium’ is the name most people use when talking about pelargoniums. But Geranium is actually a different plant genus. To help avoid confusion some refer to Geranium as ‘hardy geraniums’, and Pelargonium as ‘tender geraniums’. Discover 10 hardy geraniums perfect for your garden, which have been awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
As an avid gardener with over 10 years of experience, I’ve tried countless ground cover options But I keep coming back to hardy geraniums as my go-to choice. These versatile perennials have proven themselves time and time again in my garden, and today I’m gonna share why they might be perfect for yours too!
Why Hardy Geraniums Make Amazing Ground Cover
Let me tell you why I’m absolutely in love with hardy geraniums as ground cover. These plants are like the Swiss Army knife of the garden world – they’re incredibly versatile and can handle just about anything you throw at them!
Key Benefits:
- Weed Suppression Champion: Their dense, low-growing foliage creates a thick mat that naturally blocks out weeds
- Adaptable to Various Conditions: Whether you’ve got sun or shade, they’ll thrive
- Long Blooming Season: You’ll get flowers from spring through fall (that’s serious bang for your buck!)
- Low Maintenance: Once established, they practically take care of themselves
- Pest Resistant: Deer and rabbits usually leave them alone (hallelujah!)
- Erosion Control: Their root system helps hold soil in place
Best Hardy Geranium Varieties for Ground Cover
I’ve experimented with several varieties in my garden, and here are some standout performers
1. Geranium macrorrhizum (Bigroot Geranium)
- Height: 12-18 inches
- Spread: 18-24 inches
- Best for: Sun or shade
- My experience: This is my absolute fave! It’s practically indestructible and looks amazing year-round.
2. Geranium sanguineum
- Height: 8-12 inches
- Spread: 12-18 inches
- Best for: Full sun
- Bonus: Gorgeous magenta blooms
3. Geranium ‘Rozanne’
- Height: 18-20 inches
- Spread: 24-36 inches
- Best for: Partial shade
- Pro tip: This one’s been crowned Plant of the Year and blooms forever!
How to Grow Hardy Geraniums as Ground Cover
Planting Tips:
- Spacing: Plant 12-18 inches apart
- Soil Prep: Mix in some organic compost
- Depth: Plant at the same depth as they were in their containers
- Water: Keep soil moist until established
Maintenance Schedule:
- Spring: Clean up dead foliage
- Summer: Deadhead spent blooms
- Fall: Light trim if needed
- Winter: Leave foliage for protection
Common Questions I Get About Hardy Geraniums
Do they come back every year?
Yep! These are perennials that’ll return year after year, getting better with time.
How fast do they spread?
They spread at a manageable rate – not too slow, not too aggressive. Perfect for filling spaces without becoming invasive
What about different light conditions?
One of the things I love most about hardy geraniums is their flexibility. Most varieties can handle anything from full sun to partial shade.
Tips from My Garden to Yours
- For faster coverage: Plant them closer together initially
- For continuous blooms: Deadhead regularly
- For rejuvenation: Cut back by 1/3 after first flush of flowers
- For winter interest: Some varieties keep their foliage year-round
My Personal Experience
I gotta tell ya, when I first started using hardy geraniums as ground cover, I was skeptical. But after seeing them perform in my garden year after year, I’m totally sold! They’ve saved me countless hours of weeding and maintained beautiful coverage even in tricky spots.
Potential Challenges
Look, no plant is perfect, so here’s the real talk about some challenges you might face:
- Some varieties can look a bit messy after flowering
- They might need dividing every few years
- In very hot climates, they might need extra water
- Some varieties can self-seed (though I usually see this as a bonus!)
Conclusion
Hardy geraniums are seriously underrated as ground cover plants. They’re tough, pretty, and super low-maintenance – what’s not to love? Whether you’re a newbie gardener or a seasoned pro, these plants deserve a spot in your garden.
Trust me, once you try hardy geraniums as ground cover, you’ll wonder why you ever considered anything else. They’ve transformed my garden, and I bet they can do the same for yours!
Remember: This isn’t about those bright annual geraniums you see at garden centers in spring – we’re talking about the hardy perennial varieties that’ll stick around year after year!
Purple veins, purple veins
Geranium Rozanne (‘Gerwat’) is a stupendous plant making vigorous ground cover or a dramatic container specimen. The prolific saucer-shaped flowers open from July to October and feature purple veins and a bold white centre – all set against fresh green foliage. It needs plenty of space, or is superb planted as a specimen in a large container where it creates a blue waterfall of colour. ‘Jolly Bee’ has now been pronounced as identical. 60cm (2ft). Hardiness rating H7.
With some of the loveliest foliage of all hardy geraniums, each broad lobed greyish leaf of Geranium renardii has the soft texture of sage foliage. In June and July sprays of white flowers with deep purple veins are held just above the even mound of leaves. This is a compact and slowly spreading plant, ideal for the front of a sunny border; dryish conditions bring out the best in the foliage. 35cm (14in). Hardiness rating H6.
This delicately patterned form of our
A native plant is one that originated or arrived naturally in a particular place without human involvement. In the British Isles, native plants are those that were here during the last ice age or have arrived unaided since.
native Geranium pratense (meadow cranesbill) is effective close up, where its intricate colouring can be admired, and from a distance for its haze of colour. The pale blue flowers of Geranium pratense ‘Mrs Kendall Clark’, which open through June and July, feature a network of white veins and will come again in a second flush if dead-headed. In spring, the mound of new lobed foliage is also attractive. 90cm (3ft). Hardiness rating H7.
Many varieties of this widely grown
A plant produced by crossing two distinct parents, often different species, to produce offspring that combine the characteristics of both. Hybrids can occur naturally, but crosses are often made deliberately by plant breeders to produce plants with better yield, improved flowering or vigour, or improved disease resistance.
hybrid are weedy, floppy and unremarkable but Geranium x oxonianum ‘Wageningen’ is more compact, more upright and has a long succession of green eyed, salmony pink flowers each with a shiny reflective surface to enhance the appeal. Superb under old roses, in full sun the flowers may bleach so partial or dappled shade is ideal. ‘Wageningen’ is happy in most soils. 40cm (18in). Hardiness rating H7.
The ideal ground cover
One of the finest of recent hardy geraniums, Geranium ‘Orion’ could be said to be like good old Geranium × johnsonii ‘Johnson’s Blue’ – only far, far better. Spreading to make excellent ground cover, large lavender-tinted blue flowers have purple veins and open in huge quantities all summer. The broad petals overlap to create bowl-shaped flowers and the white centres accentuate the colouring. A seedling of Geranium ‘Brookside’, another fine AGM winner. 75cm (30in). Hardiness rating H7.
Geranium ‘Mavis Simpson’ is a low and spreading, almost evergreen plant. It has lobed silvery foliage which makes a lovely background for the pink flowers which themselves have a silver overlay as well as dark veins. Flowers open from June to October and although the stems spread widely they’re easy to restrict as they do not take root. Found as a chance seedling at Kew, and named after a Kew gardener. 20cm (8in). Hardiness rating H6.
A prolific, widely spreading and unusually long flowering ground cover, the purple-veined magenta pink flowers open from July until a hard frost. Although unhappy in dry conditions, Geranium ‘Dilys’ is valuable for its tolerance of poor drainage and enjoys part shade as well as in full sun. Named in honour of Dilys Davies, for many years an influential member of the Hardy Plant Society. 40cm (16in). Hardiness rating H7.