Week 27, Year 2: Plain Old Geranium?

I have to admit that geraniums were never a favorite of mine. I saw them as fairly ordinary, over used and just a bit awkward looking. However, through my adventures, I've had to retract those sentiments and back peddle a little bit on the geranium bashing. Although most people think of the "ordinary" grocery-store variety of geranium, there are actually two hundred species of the "pelargonium" or geranium genus, including shrubs, perennials, succulents and the well-known annual. Who knew, right? To make things even more confusing, there is also a "geranium" genus that refers to the four hundred some species of perennials known as "hardy geraniums" or "cranesbill." In an effort to make up for my own naivete, I decided to plant one of each genus in my garden this year.

Pelargonium Peltatum a.k.a. Ivy Geranium

The pelargonium variety are recognized by their ball like rounded clusters of flowers. There is also an incredible variety of accompanying foliage to the species. Some gardeners will actually remove the flowers just to enjoy the dramatic foliage of certain species. I chose to plant an ivy geranium, which is a climbing variety with dark variegated ivy-shaped leafs and pink flowers with a bold red outline in the center.

As expected, these have been easy to care for and require only the most minor of deadheading. Unexpectedly, I've really enjoyed the dramatic colors and have not gotten bored with the plant. The biggest challenge is that it shares a box with the plumbago and speedwell, and I fear the speedwell will probably get overrun by its hearty neighbors.

Dark Reiter Geranium a.k.a. Hardy Geranium a.k.a. Cranesbill

Not to be confused with its pelargonium cousins, the hardy geraniums have spread out clusters of bell like flowers and bloom year after year. They are wildly popular with gardeners given their hardiness and are perfect for ground cover and border areas. I purchased a relatively new variety known as "dark reiter geranium" which has darker leaves and lilac flowers. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if the hardy geranium is well suited to container gardening given its typical use as ground cover or in rock gardens. Mine seems to be stunted and has not grown very much in six weeks. My husband thinks it is planted too low below the box, so the sun is having a hard time reaching it. However, its neighbors - the painted tongue and flower maple are thriving, so I may need to move it to its own pot or try to bring it higher in the box. This is probably the biggest challenge in my garden right now and it may just not be meant to be.

Even if it doesn't work out, I've certainly gained a great respect and admiration for both kinds of geranium.