T’was the Night Before Christmas – A Gardener’s Poem
by Leslie Cox; Monday, December 24, 2012
From our garden to yours
T’was the night before Christmas and all round the yard
Most plants are sleeping like Geranium ‘Ann Folkard’
The beds are all mulched, piled high with old leaves
Protecting such gifts as my mom’s ‘Brazen Hussy’
Our roses are staked, their rambling branches secured
Against fierce winter storms the better endured
Rhodos and pieris lend green delight to the scene
But wet snow on branches, jump quick you must clean
Geranium pratense ‘Purple Haze’
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Geranium pratense ‘Purple Haze’ Common name: meadow cranesbill |
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Description: An herbaceous perennial with a broad, mounding habit. Unique, deeply-lobed, bronzy-purple leaves. Saucer-shaped, violet-mauve flowers with small white centres appear in mid-spring through early summer.
Special Notes: Will tolerate poor soil conditions but does not like wet conditions in winter. Foliage has deepest colour in spring when sited in shade. Colour gradually changes to deep green with purple edging. Flower colour may be variable with some paler lilac and/or white ones appearing. Does not always come true from seed. Cut back severely after flowering to tidy up; fresh new leaves will appear and perhaps a second flush of blooms. Very easy care. Relatively pest and disease free. Drought tolerant. Deer and rabbit resistant. Propagation by seed; division in spring or autumn.
Posted on December 17, 2012 |
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Geranium pratense ‘Midnight Reiter’
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Geranium pratense ‘Midnight Reiter’ Family: Geraniaceae Common name: meadow cranesbill |
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Description: An herbaceous perennial with a broad, mounding habit. Deeply-lobed, plum-purple leaves. Small, lavender-blue, cup-shaped flowers on strong, tall stems appear in mid-spring through early summer.
Special Notes: Will tolerate poor soil conditions but does not like wet conditions in winter. Leaves emerge green with slight purple tinge; darken as season lengthens. The more sun you give this plant, the darker the purple in the leaves. They will tend towards green if planted in full shade. Flowers will also be fewer, the deeper the shade. Does not always come true from seed. Cut back severely after flowering to tidy up; fresh new leaves will appear and perhaps a second flush of blooms. Very easy care. Relatively pest and disease free. Drought tolerant. Deer and rabbit resistant. Propagation by seed; division in spring or autumn.
Posted on December 17, 2012
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Geranium x oxonianum ‘Wargrave Pink’
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Geranium x oxonianum ‘Wargrave Pink’ Common name: cranesbill |
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Description: An herbaceous, bordering on evergreen perennial with a clump-forming habit. Mid-green leaves are divided into 5 lobes. Small, notched, funnel-shaped, pale salmon-pink flowers appear in spring through summer.
Special Notes: Cut back severely after flowering to promote fresh new leaves and a repeat bloom. Very easy care. Relatively pest and disease free. Drought tolerant. Deer and rabbit resistant. Propagation by division in spring or autumn.
Posted on December 16, 2012
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Geranium x oxonianum ‘Walter’s Gift’
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Geranium x oxonianum ‘Walter’s Gift’ Family: Geraniaceae Common name: cranesbill |
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Description: An herbaceous perennial with a broad, mounding habit. Scalloped-edged shiny green, lobed leaves are flushed with a dark reddish suffusion spreading out from the centre. Small, pale pink flowers with a network of deep magenta veins appear in spring.
Special Notes: A vigorous hybrid; a cross between G.eraniumendressii and Geranium versicolor. Very similar to Geranium x oxonianum ‘Katherine Adele’. Named after the former home of Mary Ramsdale in Essex, England where this seedling was found. Cut back severely after flowering to tidy up; fresh new leaves will appear and perhaps a second flush of blooms. Very easy care. Relatively pest and disease free. Drought tolerant. Deer and rabbit resistant. Propagation by seed.
Posted on December 16, 2012 |
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