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GARDENER'S
READING ROOM
Annuals
The
Art of Gardening
Where
are your Geraniums?
 Oh,
you mean pelargoniums!
That’s the Latin name for everyone’s favorite
large-headed, summer blooming flowers. True geraniums
(also known as hardy geraniums) are a shade and moisture loving
group of perennials with much smaller flowers.
Pelargoniums
- all right, annual geraniums
- are known for providing loads of color in bright reds, pinks,
whites, and violet. They are easy care when given full sun
and warmth, and are drought tolerant. (Did I just say the
D-word?) Types include the familiar zonals
and Martha Washingtons
but also ivy-leaf,
scented-leaf,
and novelty fancy-leaf varieties.
Let’s sort them out….
Ivy
geraniums
are trailing varieties; you can let them naturally hang down,
or train them to travel up or wander through more sturdy plants.
They perform well in an eastern exposure or in full hot sun.
Easy care, lots of color choices!
 Scented
geraniums have
small rosy or white flowers; they are primarily grown
for their foliage, scented of roses, nutmeg, lime, apricot,
coconut, mint… to name just a few! Plant them near
doors
and walkways where you can brush against their foliage. Scented
geranium leaves can be used to flavor jelly, iced drinks,
baked goods, teas, and vinegars.
 Novelty
leaf
or fancy leaf geraniums are
just that! Bronze, mahogany, red, gold, cream and green
splash the leaves of these smaller-flowered varieties. ‘Vancouver
Centennial’ sports coral flowers and
star-shaped bronze-red leaves edged with chartreuse; ‘Skies
of Italy’ has vermilion flowers and
green maple-shaped
leaves edged with creamy yellow and splashed
with orange and crimson. Many other great varieties will
tempt
you!
 Pelargoniums
(unlike hardy geraniums) usually will need protection to overwinter;
Sky has care sheets on how to do this. Whichever type of Pelargonium
you choose, you are sure to enjoy your prize for a full season
of vigorous bloom, and can easily keep it for next year as
well!
By
Heather
Small
Skylights Spring/Summer 2005, Vol 19, No. 2
Other
articles on annuals
Other
articles on the art of gardening
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