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By Lorraine • Jun 7th, 2010 • Category: Favourite Plants, Fresh Dirt, Plants
Photo: Blooms of Bressingham
Walking through my garden the other morning, it occured to me that I tend to hang onto plants whether they perform or not. In other areas of my life, I’m ruthless about getting rid of things I no longer use, wear, read, eat — well, you get the picture. So, in an effort to force myself to be just as cold-hearted in the garden, I’m compiling a list of desert island plants (or should I say, temperate island plants…).
So here’s the first in a series of “if I had to choose just one plant” posts.
I think it’s more than fitting that Geranium ‘Rozanne’ should be the first to kick off the series. This is a plant that belongs in every garden. Introduced at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2000, ‘Rozanne’ was nominated as the Perennial Plant of the Year in 2008 (what took them so long?!). In my garden, it blooms from June until November — I don’t know any other perennial that blooms as long! ‘Rozanne’ is such an easy-going plant, too. I moved it from the relatively rich soil of my perennial bed to the dusty dirt where a ‘New Dawn’ climbing rose thrives and ‘Rozanne’ didn’t so much as wilt. In fact, it clothes the naked canes of ‘New Dawn’ with lush foliage and those oh-so-lovely blue flowers.
So, are there any other nominations out there for the “If I had to choose just one hardy geranium” contest? Post a comment and let me know!
Lorraine is a garden writer and Master Gardener.
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Everyone seems to love Rozanne.I also love deep purple geranium magnificum.
I love ‘Rozanne’ , but if I had to choose just one geranium it would have to be Geranium sylvaticum ‘Amy Doncaster”. It is a stunning blue with a white eye and is a stand-out in the Spring garden.
Oooh, they both look lovely. But do they bloom as long as Rozanne?
Sadly no.
G. sylvaticum has finished blooming ( although there may be the odd bloom throughout the summer) and G. magnificum, which is also a favourite of mine, is in bloom now and until mid June.