Gardening

Spring is the time we plant colourful flowers of bulbs and shrubs in our gardens and parks. The perennial garden is quite at this time, but one garden favourite is putting on an early show: coloured leaf hardy geraniums.

One with the showiest leaves is ‘Sericourt’ with leaves that are pale lemon in colour in March, becoming greener as spring turns to summer. It is quite fast growing making a good sized clump in ayear. ‘Margaret Wilson’ has green leaves with white stripes forming alow mound. The pale, mauvy blue flowers are perfectly setoff by the leaves. The leaves keeptheir patterning through the summer as well. This variety is best grown in light shade. ‘Springtime’ is slightly taller and has pale green leaves with bold red markings and does well in sun or shade. The similar ‘Lisa’ has less red but asoft whitish centre to the leaves. Again. this one is good in sun or shade.

Agiant among geraniums is ‘Rachel’s Rhapsody,’ which has bizarrely variegated leaves in spring. Each leaf is different, sometimes with large blotches of cream or paler green with small patches of red, and at other times green with almost lacy whitepatterns. Cutting back hard in midsummer which encourages a fresh crop of patterned leaves. ‘Claudine Dupont’ has leaves are golden yellow with small red marks across them. The books will tell you this type needs moist shade for us she thrives in full sun on adry sandy bank.

Sometimes leaves can be dark and mysterious. ‘Samobor’ is avery well-known variety with dark, almost black marking on the leaves. This one comes true from seed and can produce too many seedlings. Cut of the flowerstems before the flowers fade to prevent seeding –the maroon flowers are nothing to write home about and won’tbemissed. ‘Victor Reiter’ is avariety of the native meadow cranesbill and has dark, almost purple leaves and pale violet flowers.

Hardy geraniums are one of the easiest and best garden plants and the coloured leaf varieties are just as accommodating with the added bonus of garden interest early in the season. Get down to your local plant fair this spring and pickupone (ormore) of these little gems.

Janet and IorganisePlant Hunters’ Fairs, specialist plant fairs at wonderful locations. Please see www.planthuntersfairs.co.uk for afull list of all our 2022plant fairs.

Hardy Geraniums for Spring Colour

Martin Blow