Introducing...
Geranium
Common name: cranesbill
Geraniums are generally long-lived, easy-to-grow plants and most are perfect in borders for the classic cottage garden look. Coming from a wide range of wild habitats originally, there’s one for virtually every situation including rose borders, woodland beds, rock gardens and the greenhouse. Geraniums share a common name with pelargoniums – tender plants usually seen in bedding displays and containers for summer
Looks
- Most geraniums bear saucer-shaped flowers in shades of pink, magenta, white, violet and blue on wiry stems, in summer
- Foliage light green, bright green or silvery and is frequently dissected or patterned, providing an attractive textured backdrop beneath the flowers
- They can be short and prostrate like G. 'Mavis Simpson', medium-sized and clump-forming like G. phaeum cultivars or G. psilostemon, carpeting like G. macrorrhizum or G. procurrens, mat-forming like G. himalayense and trailing like G. riversleaianum 'Russell Prichard'
- A few species are summer dormant. These flower in spring then die back, reappearing in autumn or spring. G. malviflorum is an example of this type
- For a plant that flowers almost non-stop from spring until autumn try G. Rozanne ('Gerwat')
Likes
- Hardy garden geraniums like, G. 'Orion' or G. clarkei 'Kashmir White' thrive on most soils, including heavy clay
- Some species do well in dry, shaded spots like G. macrorrhizum, G. nodosum and G. phaeum
- Small rock garden types like G. dalmaticum and G. cinereum 'Ballerina' want free-draining sites
- Two species, natives of the Canary Islands, G. maderense and G. palmatum need to spend winter somewhere frost-free, but these are in the minority
Dislikes
- Rock garden types like G. cinereum cultivars need sharp drainage and won’t thrive in heavy soils
- Even the happy-go-lucky hardy garden geraniums don’t like to be waterlogged in winter
- G. palmatum and G. maderense want frost-free conditions
Did you know?
- Britain has three native geraniums: G. pratense (meadow cranesbill), G. sylvaticum (wood cranesbill) and G. sanguineum (bloody cranesbill)
- The common name cranesbill comes from the long, pointed seed capsule that resembles a crane’s bill
Growing guide
How to grow geraniums
All the information you need to grow and care for geraniums in your garden
Geraniums we recommend
Geranium cinereum 'Ballerina'
cranesbill 'Ballerina'
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Geranium phaeum var. phaeum 'Samobor'
dusky cranesbill 'Samobor'
- 0.5–1 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Geranium subcaulescens
grey cranesbill
- Up to 10cm
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Geranium cinereum 'Ballerina'
cranesbill 'Ballerina'
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Geranium phaeum var. phaeum 'Samobor'
dusky cranesbill 'Samobor'
- 0.5–1 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Geranium subcaulescens
grey cranesbill
- Up to 10cm
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Useful advice
Choosing plants for dry shade
Clay soils: plants for
Dividing perennials
Ground cover plants
Hampton Hack
Perennial borders: choosing plants
Perennials: staking
Get involved
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.