10 award-winning (AGM) hardy geraniums for the garden

What’s the difference between a geranium and a pelagonium? ‘Geranium’ is the name most people use when talking about pelargoniums. But Geranium is actually a different plant genus. To help avoid confusion some refer to Geranium as ‘hardy geraniums’, and Pelargonium as ‘tender geraniums’.

Discover 10 hardy geraniums perfect for your garden, which have been awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM).

Purple veins, purple veins

Geranium Rozanne (‘Gerwat’) was shortlisted for the Chelsea Plant of the Centenary for the decade 1993-2002, and was the winner of the public vote

Geranium Rozanne (‘Gerwat’) is a stupendous plant making vigorous ground cover or a dramatic container specimen. The prolific saucer-shaped flowers open from July to October and feature purple veins and a bold white centre – all set against fresh green foliage. It needs plenty of space, or is superb planted as a specimen in a large container where it creates a blue waterfall of colour. ‘Jolly Bee’ has now been pronounced as identical. 60cm (2ft). Hardiness rating H7.

The loveliest foliage

Geranium renardii has attractive grey-green, lobed and finely wrinkled basal leaves

With some of the loveliest foliage of all hardy geraniums, each broad lobed greyish leaf of Geranium renardii has the soft texture of sage foliage. In June and July sprays of white flowers with deep purple veins are held just above the even mound of leaves. This is a compact and slowly spreading plant, ideal for the front of a sunny border; dryish conditions bring out the best in the foliage. 35cm (14in). Hardiness rating H6.

Haze of colour

Geranium pratense ‘Mrs Kendall Clark’ is a spreading, herbaceous perennial with jaggedly-lobed pale green leaves

This delicately patterned form of our native Geranium pratense (meadow cranesbill) is effective close up, where its intricate colouring can be admired, and from a distance for its haze of colour. The pale blue flowers of Geranium pratense ‘Mrs Kendall Clark’, which open through June and July, feature a network of white veins and will come again in a second flush if dead-headed. In spring, the mound of new lobed foliage is also attractive. 90cm (3ft). Hardiness rating H7.

Shiny petals

Salmon-pink flowers are produced from late spring to early autumn

Many varieties of this widely grown

A hybrid plant is the offspring produced by cross-pollinating one specific cultivar with another different cultivar. This process of cross-pollination, rather than pollination between plants of the same cultivar, generally creates stronger, healthier, improved offspring, said to have ‘hybrid vigour’.

The ideal ground cover

Masses of very large, cup-shaped, lavender-blue flowers have a white centre and almost round, overlapping petals

One of the finest of recent hardy geraniums, Geranium ‘Orion’ could be said to be like good old Geranium × johnsonii ‘Johnson’s Blue’ – only far, far better. Spreading to make excellent ground cover, large lavender-tinted blue flowers have purple veins and open in huge quantities all summer. The broad petals overlap to create bowl-shaped flowers and the white centres accentuate the colouring. A seedling of Geranium ‘Brookside’, another fine AGM winner. 75cm (30in). Hardiness rating H7.

The silvery beauty

This plant has downy, greyish-green leaves forming good ground cover, and rounded rose-pink flowers 

Geranium ‘Mavis Simpson’ is a low and spreading, almost evergreen plant. It has lobed silvery foliage which makes a lovely background for the pink flowers which themselves have a silver overlay as well as dark veins. Flowers open from June to October and although the stems spread widely they’re easy to restrict as they do not take root. Found as a chance seedling at Kew, and named after a Kew gardener. 20cm (8in). Hardiness rating H6.

The tolerant choice

Geranium ‘Dylis’ is renowned for its resilience to poor drainage conditions

A prolific, widely spreading and unusually long flowering ground cover, the purple-veined magenta pink flowers open from July until a hard frost. Although unhappy in dry conditions, Geranium ‘Dilys’ is valuable for its tolerance of poor drainage and enjoys part shade as well as in full sun. Named in honour of Dilys Davies, for many years an influential member of the Hardy Plant Society. 40cm (16in). Hardiness rating H7.

Sprays of white blooms

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Geranium sanguineum ‘Album’ requires minimal maintenance, with simple pruning of flowered stems and old leaves

Geranium sanguineum ‘Album’, or bloody cranesbill ‘Album’, is a spreading herbaceous

Perennials are plants that live for multiple years. They come in all shapes and sizes and fill our gardens with colourful flowers and ornamental foliage. Many are hardy and can survive outdoors all year round, while less hardy types need protection over winter. The term herbaceous perennial is used to describe long-lived plants without a permanent woody structure (they die back to ground level each autumn), distinguishing them from trees, shrubs and sub-shrubs.

Red eye

This herbaceous perennial has flowers heavily patterned with purplish pink veins and a deep red eye

Beautifully patterned flowers sit above silvered foliage, each bloom is pale pink but very heavily patterned with purplish pink veins and with a deep red eye. The flowers keep coming during spring and summer with a scattering continuing into autumn and are set against neatly divided silver leaves. Geranium (Cinereum Group) ‘Ballerina’ is one of the best known introductions from the great plantsman Alan Bloom. Happiest in well-drained soil in a sunny place. 15cm (6in). Hardiness rating H5.

The climber

Geranium ‘Ann Folkard’ is a vigorous perennial with golden-green leaves that later darken to green

Geranium ‘Ann Folkard’ is a vigorous groundcover which works surprisingly well as a climber. Its bright golden new foliage becomes greenish gold later as the dark-centred magenta flowers open in summer and continue into autumn. Amazing when climbing into a mature holly, as a ground cover it does not root as it spreads so is easy to control. Discovered by a Lincolnshire vicar. 50cm (20in). Hardiness rating H7.