Gone Gardenin’ — Geraniums an always vibrant garden standby

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This article was published 01/11/2018 (2616 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Pelargoniums we usually call them geraniums are an old standby in the garden and indoors as well. These wonderfully versatile plants have been used for generations to add beauty to both outdoor gardens and indoor landscapes. Many of us enjoy our geraniums all year round.

There is a class of geranium that is truly outstanding because in addition to producing attractive blooms, they also sport very unique foliage. This class of geranium is called the brocade geranium although you will rarely see this name attached to the plants in the market place as they are more commonly sold under their variety names.

‘Catalina’ has green and white variegated foliage while a variety called ‘Mrs. Pollack Tricolor’ has foliage with three colours: green, gold and red. ‘Black Velvet Red’ has dark purple almost black – leaves which contrast effectively with its bright fully doubler orange blooms. The colour combinations on brocade geranium foliage are indeed innumerable.

These popular plants have been gaining in popularity as the use of foliage in garden design is ever increasing. It was only in 2016 that a brocade geranium won a coveted AAS award. ‘Brocade Fire’ has dark bronze leaves with bright green edges and orange flowers.

I have had a white and green variegated geranium for years and it adds a note of colour to a large pot of geraniums I grow each year at the base of the steps leading up to our front door. In the large container with it I include a red flowering geranium with plain green leaves and a red rosebud geranium which also has green foliage.

The variegated foliage of the brocade geranium gives the whole arrangement a lift as it brightens what would otherwise be a rather ordinary red and green design. I add a bit of ‘Diamond Frost’ euphorbia to add even more contrast.

I also have a tricoloured brocade geranium given to me by a friend a few years ago. It has green, cream and red foliage and scarlet flowers. Although the whole plant is uniquely attractive, I particularly like the large colourful leaves when creating floral arrangements for exhibition.

The name brocade seems to have come from a comparison to brocade fabric, which is described as “a richly decorated woven fabric, usually made of silk or satin, and including strands of gold or silver.” The foliage of brocade geraniums certainly is richly coloured and many of the varieties have bright gold as part of the coloration on their leaves.

Brocade geraniums are basically zonal geraniums with variegated foliage. They take the same care and like the same conditions as other geraniums. They prefer lots of sun and a rich soil that is well drained.

During the growing season it is a good idea to fertilize geraniums to keep them blooming and looking robust. The soil should be kept on the dry side but not be allowed to dry out completely. Too much water will cause the leaves to yellow.

Geraniums are most often used as container plants and they combine well with many other plants. Marigolds, lobelia, and salvia are just three annuals that are often paired with geraniums. These versatile plants can also be planted in beds and borders and they are stunning when massed planted in a public garden.

Geraniums come in a wide range of colours. The blooms can be white, red, orange, mauve, salmon or deep cherry pink. Many varieties of geraniums have two colours in their blooms, for example pink petals edged with white.

Geraniums are popular window box plants because they are well behaved and have a mounding habit which is suitable for such containers. They can be planted near walkways as well because of these characteristics; they will not encroach on the walkway or train out of bounds.

Of course besides zonal geraniums, there are also trailing types used in hanging baskets. These are often called ivy geraniums because of their trailing habit and because their leaf shape somewhat resembles an ivy leaf.

Geraniums are typically cut back severely when they are moved indoors in the fall but they soon put forth new growth and in a month or so we will again be enjoying beautiful geranium blooms in our indoor garden spaces. These resilient and beautiful plants truly are an all season wonder.

Albert Parsons lives, writes, and gardens in Minnedosa.

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