Comments on: Hardy Geraniums

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:30:09 +0000

Anne, I’ve found the Rozanne geranium to have a longer bloom time and a little frost tolerance too. We had a week where it went down to well below freezing, and there were still some Rozanne flowers. I was very surprised by its resilience. They must look especially pretty combined with your knockout roses. My Johnson’s Blue had a shorter blooming time, even though we didn’t get extended hot summer temperatures. I’ve been wanting to try ‘Jolly Bee’ too, and it sounds like yours has a long flowering time.

By: Anne, Long Island, NY Zone 7

Anne, Long Island, NY Zone 7 — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:07:27 +0000

Johnson’s Blue was my first as well and I love it but it always stops blooming in our hot, humid summers and doesn’t bloom again ’til spring. I got ‘Jolly Bee” last year and it bloomed until a few days ago. ( direct morning sun,part sun midday, no direct sun after 2pm) I think it’s as beautiful as Rozanne but one of my 2 Rozanne plants is still blooming on Nov. 12th after 2 frost nights. It’s growing behind and up through a Knockout rose so was protected from the frost which stopped the other more exposed Rozanne from blooming. Blue geraniums are definitely my favorite. Has anyone tried G. Sateen?

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:43:44 +0000

Barbara, it’s good to hear from you again. My geraniums are in part-shade, so they get a fair amount of blooms, but maybe not as many as if they were in more sun. It’s interesting to hear that Jolly Bee is your favourite geranium. I wondered if it performed differently than Rozanne.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 06:30:22 +0000

Due to my temporarily absence from blogland I now have to catch up a lot of posts. I start with this one, describing one of my favourite plants in the garden, the blue sorts of geranium. There are several of them in my garden and I especially like the “new” Jolly Bee. Johnson’s Blue was my very first geranium, many years ago, and it is still flowering very well (full sun). Rozanne I only bought three years ago and doesn’t do so well, probably due to the place (shadow from a taxus tree).

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 04:58:39 +0000

Tina, I like the way it meshes at the edges with other plants too. I have what is supposed to be a tall goatsbeard, but is has grown very short, so the Johnson’s Blue flowers were able to grow at the same height, and lean against the white, fluffy plumes. I really liked the combination. It’s interesting to hear that Johnson’s Blue does better for your than Rozanne.

By: tina

tina — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 03:31:03 +0000

I like them all. I think you’ve identified Johnson’s blue for me. It does great down here in Tennessee. I like the sprawling habit and the fact it will twine in other plants. I’ve not had luck with Rozanne though I have planted it.

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 01:24:15 +0000

Swimray, I’ve heard that Rozanne tolerates hot summers better than Johnson’s Blue, but haven’t been able to test that for myself in the garden. :)

The shades of blue in these geranium flowers are very pretty. I find the combination of blue and white flowers in the garden very attractive too.

By: Swimray

Swimray — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 21:35:31 +0000

Wow these are excellent. I have the magentas, but had not seen the blues. I need (want) some. My geraniums stop blooming in the sticky hot humid Virginia summers. Blues and whites in the garden shade make the backyard seem cooler.

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:39:58 +0000

Joy, the geraniums are pretty cottage type flowers, and the flowers look especially nice next to an informal path, where you don’t mind them overflowing a little at the edges.

I laughed at your scenario at the nursery. Like you, I love walking down the aisles, comparing all the different plants, sniffing the flowers, and seeing what catches my eye.

By: Joy

Joy — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:33:47 +0000

I have meant to get this one so many times and have been diverted every time looking at some other plant at the nursery that caught my eye .. maybe I have to wear blinkers .. goggles ? so I can maintain my plant mission point ! LOL
Wonderful pictures illustrating the colour and structure of the blooms : )