It's funny how you often come round to where you first started and this includes plant buying habits. When I started planting the garden here I was besotted with hardy geraniums. Slowly though I went on to develop other addictions and although the love affair has never ended I have not added to my geraniums for some time. They still must have a hold over me for it was a stall with a prominent display of hardy geraniums that caught my attention at a recent garden festival. So my Arley Hall haul included two new to me hardy geraniums - pratense 'Summer Skies' and 'Pink Penny'. The former is a double with very soft lilac tinges and the latter reminds me of geranium 'Buxton's Blue' but with pink flowers. I also bought an old friend whose name escapes me at the moment. It's too dark and wet out there to a go and check the label now. It is a rather delicate geranium which has a trailing habit and very small white flowers. I have managed to kill this off before but thought that I would give it another go. Also coming home with me were achillea 'Jacqueline', verbena rigida (smaller and more stocky than verbena bonariensis), some Redbor kale and for having the pleasure of inhaling its scent -a lemon verbena. On the subject of verbena bonariensis I have a surfeit of seedlings at the allotment and must make sure that I do not let any of the fully grown plants set seed this year. Famous last words :)
Anna:
ReplyDeleteI too love hardy Geranium, but don't have the room for them! I have G. phaeum 'Samobor' and 'Springtime' but saw what I think was 'Summer Skies'.... does it have chartreuse foliage? This one did and almost came home with me for a container!
I want to grow Verbena bonariensis... it looks so wonderful but would be an annual here if I am not mistaken! I would love a whole field of it if I could! Hope all is well with you and that summer has been visiting your neck of the woods..... I fear she has left for vacation about here. Low to mid sixties here this week!
I know what you mean about coming full circle with certain plants. I've gotten rid of certain plants and then found myself replacing them a few years later because I missed them.
ReplyDeleteI need to try some more hardy geraniums, I've just got a couple.
I am growing fonder and fonder of hardy geraniums. I have grown some from seed this year and they were much easier than I thought. The only thing is that it was a mixed selection from Plant World so I dont know which ones they are but it will be interesting finding out.
ReplyDeleteHi Anna
ReplyDeleteHardy Geraniums are real do-ers. I'm a fan.
My Verbena bonariensis has seeded itself around profusely. You can take cuttings from it and overwinter in a bit of shelter, that way you get flowers in June rather than mid July which is when the self seeders start to do their thing.
I know what you mean they are like old friends and if you losse one you feel the need to replace it with like. I do with clematis.
ReplyDeleteOn the subject of verbena Bodnariensis, I have grown so many from seed but they mustn't like our clay soil in a cold winter as most don't survive except the ones that selfseed in cracks where you really don't want them.
Lovely post Anna, and so true about coming round to where you first started.
ReplyDeleteK
Mmmmmm, kale! I never used to like scented geraniums, but they're really growing (ha ha) on me! This year I'm fascinated with pink flowers, I don't know why. There are just so many plants, I guess it makes sense that different ones turn our heads at different times ("Ooh, shiny object!" as another of my niece's aunts says).
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