Do we really need another hardy geranium? For this eye-popping new shade, yes we do
Hardy geraniums are the most popular perennials in the UK. It’s easy to see why – they’re tough, versatile and easy to grow, with many flowering for months on end. With so many superb varieties already available, the competition faced by a newcomer to rise to the top is intense. But ‘Intense’ has what it takes – and stood out from the crowd enough to become a finalist in the 2022 Chelsea Flower Show Plant of The Year competition.
Roy Rotteveel selected Geranium ‘Intense’ in 2015 from a batch of seedlings of G. x cantabridgense growing in a field on his nursery in Noordwijk, The Netherlands. It was tested for some years at the nursery and was compared with the old favourites G. x cantabridgense ‘Cambridge’ and ‘Karmina’. ‘Intense’ has flowers in a darker, brighter pink than either.
Roy Rotteveel describes Geranium ‘Intense’ as “an easy to grow perennial hardy down to -30C. Plant in full sun or semi-shade,” he says, “in a moist but free-draining soil. Trim flowers back after the first main flush for repeat summer colour.”
Click the suppliers link on this page in the RHS online Plant Finder for a list of nurseries offering Geranium ‘Intense’.
New plants: Sweet pea ‘Cedric Morris’
New plants: Hydrangea After Midnight
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The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.
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