From Bluestone Perennials in fall 2019
Geranium cantabrigiense 'Biokovo'
From Plants of the Southwest in fall 2020, added more from Bluestone in spring 2021
Expectations:
Cut back after the June flush, then water well for more blooms. Geraniums can tolerate dry shade after establishing.
Geranium phaeum has dark purple blooms in spring, described as "raven" and "sultry". Supposed to be a re-bloomer. It is called mourning widow because of its almost black purple flowers. The flowers stand on tall thin stalks.
Cut back after the June flush, then water well for more blooms. Geraniums can tolerate dry shade after establishing.
Geranium phaeum has dark purple blooms in spring, described as "raven" and "sultry". Supposed to be a re-bloomer. It is called mourning widow because of its almost black purple flowers. The flowers stand on tall thin stalks.
Geranium 'Biokovo' has pretty white flowers with pink tinges. A shy, quiet plant, not showy, but it brightens up shade. This will stay low and dense, forming a mat.
Experiences:
It's an open, tall plant that needs to be interplanted with other things, not a specimen at the front of the border. So in June 2020, I moved it to the back of the dining room window garden, mixed in with other plants. The blooms are described as almost jet black, large and upward facing.
But they are tiny and downward facing, and a clear purple -- not sultry or near-black.
They lasted til the first of June and I cut the stalks back. It is supposed to re-bloom in summer but didn't.
This is not a specimen plant for its form; its flowers are the attraction and it needs companions. By 2023 they were small and hard to see and not noticeable.
Biokovo geranium has been a star in the potting bench curve. It blooms for a long time, the foliage is nice, and when I edit down all the busy number of plants in that garden, it will shine even more.
In fall 2021, when the irrigation lines were put in and the garden expanded forward, all the Biokovo geraniums got moved and divided.
These are a disappointment.
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| May 3, 2020 |
I originally put the dark purple mourning widow geranium in the potting bench curve under the aspen. In 2020 it had fresh green foliage but wilted and needed frequent water. After blooming it got leggy and the leaves browned.
But they are tiny and downward facing, and a clear purple -- not sultry or near-black.
The clear yellow columbines and the purple geraniums bloom at the same time in May and I like them together.
This is not a specimen plant for its form; its flowers are the attraction and it needs companions. By 2023 they were small and hard to see and not noticeable.
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| May 23, 2021 |
It was planted right at the front of the potting bench curve between two lambsears, and the medium green is nice with the blue fuzzy lambsears.
It stays low and spreads.
I got 3 more in spring 2021 to make a bigger statement. The original plant bloomed in May and despite its soft pale color, it pops in that dark spot. Very flowery.
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| 2023 |
The newest, just planted that spring, were still so tiny, and the larger original one got set back by the moves.
But in 2022 and 2023 they did well, and the tiny new and moved plants were growing.
Biokovo has a sweet, quiet, elegant look and I want this shady garden to be simpler and more woodsy looking.
Repeating the pretty clumps of Biokovo threaded through and around the aspen trunks is a nice look.