Take advantage of our curated Raving Beauties Geranium pack which includes 2 each of 4 of our favourite Geraniums (8x5cm pots):

- Geranium pratense 'Storm Cloud'

- Geranium pratense ''Splish Splash'

- Geranium pratense 'Summer Skies'

- Geranium 'Anne Thomson'

 

RRP $77.50 | Special Pack price $65.00 incl delivery

 

Read below for further information about each plant.

 

RAVING BEAUTY CRANESBILLS

Cranesbills (otherwise known as hardy Geraniums) are often confused with the Pelargoniums we normally call “Geraniums”. My Grandmother grew her “Geraniums” (really mop head Pelargoniums) beside the old outside thunderbox on her farm, while the Swiss love to grow them in window-boxes.

 

But instead, these very special new Cranesbills are true hardy Geraniums, not Pelargoniums.

 

They are refined and beautiful garden treasures, and very different to Grandma’s old thunderbox “Geraniums”.

 

And why are they called Cranesbills? Because their seed pods are long, elegant and very decorative, looking all the world like Crane’s bills.

 

STORM CLOUD CRANESBILL - Geranium pratense 'Storm Cloud'

‘Storm Cloud’ glows with rich, vibrant purple flowers, above storm cloud dark-green foliage. With some semi-double frills in the centre.

But there is nothing shy about this newcomer, including the rich colouring.

Altogether this lovely new introduction is a great addition to the delightful Meadow Cranesbill family.

‘Storm Cloud’ has an exceptionally long flowering season compared to others; enhanced hardiness and disease resistance; plus improved tolerance to heat and dry.

 

With the impressive blooms repeating from early summer on through summer and autumn.

The Geranium pratense cousins are all called Meadow Cranesbills because they are found in the wild amongst grassland and hay meadows. So of course they like growing in the company of other plants.

 

Plant ‘Storm Cloud’ and other Meadow Cranesbills in full sun, or perhaps even better where there is a little relief from the late afternoon sun in hot districts. After all we do not want those gorgeous blooms to be scorched.

 

Sultry ‘Storm Cloud’ is exquisite planted between yellow, apricot, or white roses; a stunner in the mixed flower bed; and striking in a container.

 

Geranium ‘Storm Cloud’ is a hardy perennial, and better suited to Australian conditions than some of the older Meadow Cranesbills and descendants.

It grows to approx. 40-50cm. High in flower x 40-50cm. Wide neat foliage clump.

 

‘Storm Cloud’ is hardy in frost and cold.

 

PURPLE LEAVED CRANESBILL - Geranium pratense 'Dark Reiter'

 

‘Dark Reiter’ is the dark, sultry, and mysterious member of the Meadow Cranesbill family.

 

Because it makes compact mounds of the most sumptuous plum-purple foliage, with each leaf beautifully cut like black lace.

 

Intense lilac blue discs of single flowers float above the black lace foliage, beginning to bloom from early summer with repeats through summer and autumn.

 

‘Dark Reiter’s neat and round growth habit, as well as the exotic dark foliage, makes it a treasure for a decorative container, or as a dramatic front border for a flower bed.

 

It grows to approx. 20-25cm. High in flower x 30cm. Wide. Neat foliage clump. Frost hardy.

‘Dark Reiter’ is hardy in frost and cold.

 

DOUBLE VIOLET CRANESBILL - Geranium pratense 'Summer Skies'

 

The blooms on ‘Summer Skies’ are exquisite doubles of soft violet-blue. Each bloom is laced with dark veins, and a mist of pale green in the centre. Plus, these darling little button blooms are fragrant.

 

Geranium pratense ‘Summer Skies’ begins to bloom in mid-spring, earlier than most Meadow Cranesbills, and continues with repeats into late summer. So, with ‘Summer Skies’ you can extend your Meadow Cranesbill season of flowers.

‘Summer Skies’ has lacy green foliage, and forms a compact, mounding clump of approx. 50cm. High in flower x perennial foliage clump of approx. 60-75cm wide.

 

Needless to say, this scented little beauty makes a wonderful container plant; underplanting for roses; or companion in a mixed flower bed, just like her other Meadow Cranesbill cousins.

Despite having the most delicate of looks, ‘Summer Skies’ is amongst the most robust and low maintenance of all the Meadow Cranesbills. If she begins to look scrappy after all the hot weather and blooming, then just shear her back the the socks, give her a boost of Powerfeed, and new growth and blooms will erupt. Frost hardy.

 

ANNE THOMSON’S GOLDEN CRANESBILL - Geranium 'Anne Thomson'

 

‘Anne Thomson’ is the showgirl of the family. She bears masses of vivid magenta blooms, each flashing a cheeky black eye, above golden foliage. It is an electrifying colour combination.

 

Although each individual flower is small, ‘Anne Thomson’ bears such a mass of blooms she always dazzles.

 

Rather than being an upright clump, ‘Anne Thomson’ forms a wider, mounding groundcover of gently glowing golden spring foliage. Then as the summer evolves, the leaves turn to softer lime-green shades.

She is very happy weaving amongst taller plants and suppressing weeds, as well as carpeting the ground under roses.

 

Anne Thompson is amongst the most heat and dry tolerant of all the Cranesbills, due to different parentage.

Frost hardy. 30-50cm. High approx. x 70cm. Wide groundcover, mounding perennial.