For many people, geraniums are part of the typical German garden design. In fact, the lush flowering plants can be found in countless hanging baskets, plant pots or even plant beds. Unfortunately, the joy is usually over after a season. The situation is different if you specifically rely on hardy geraniums. They bring joy for many years.
Hardy geraniums
The best-known geranium varieties are bred for intensive flowering and particularly dense growth. Mostly hanging, they populate balconies and flowerpots in particular. They are therefore also referred to as balcony geraniums. However, all of these strongly one-sided further developed species are annuals and therefore not hardy. If you are looking for perennial geraniums, you will find them mainly in the area of ground-covering species and real garden perennials.
notice: The terms geranium and pelargonium are often used synonymously. On closer inspection, however, this is not correct. Strictly speaking, all species with the biological name "Geranium" are cultivated forms of the cranesbill. Typical balcony geraniums, on the other hand, come from the pelargonium family. These have a different origin and - as a result - completely different properties. The most important here is the lack of winter hardiness, which geraniums owe to their origin in South Africa and Southeast Europe.
Ground-covering varieties
Balkan cranesbill (Geranium macrorrhizum)
With leaf sizes of up to 10 centimeters and a lush overall size, this representative is one of the larger specimens of the cranesbill family. Its ability to quickly build up plant carpets is therefore correspondingly large.
- Characteristics: forms dense stands and reliably covers ground areas
- Growth height: up to 40 centimeters
- Location: full shade
- Other: copes well with root pressure from trees, etc., is therefore very suitable as an underplanting, which is why it is often found in parks
Dalmatian cranesbill (Geranium dalmaticum)
If you value a particularly delicate growth, the Dalmatian cranesbill is a good choice. Blossoms and foliage remain in their dainty appearance and convince with a restrained yet impressive overall picture.
- Characteristics: forming dense, ground-covering cushions
- Growth height: up to 20 centimeters
- Location: partially shaded to sunny
- Other: small, delicate flowers in pink shades
garden perennials
notice: As garden perennials, real geraniums are generally always hardy plants and therefore also perennial. Contrary to the most well-known shapes for balconies and terraces, their appearance can be very different.
"White Snow Double"
The "White Snow Double" variety impresses with a sea of snow-white flowers. The abundance of flowers seems almost magical and allows even small-format solitary plantings with a strong expression.
- Characteristics: compact, bushy growth
- Growth height: up to 30 centimeters
- Location: partially shaded
- Other: long flowering period from June to September, always new, double flowers
"Red Burcs Double"
The Red Burcs Double is also one of the garden perennials and is therefore one of the real geraniums. It is considered one of the easiest geranium varieties to grow and should therefore not be missing in any garden.
- Characteristics: bushy and densely growing
- Growth height: up to 30 centimeters
- Location: partially shaded
- Other: very easy to care for, continuous bloomers throughout the summer months, color variations from pink to purple
"Blue Birch Double"
The Blue Birch Double closes the triumvirate of very similar varieties for hardy geraniums that vary in filigree and color. Easy to care for, it offers another facet in a successful garden design that can also be implemented with little effort.
- Characteristics: loosely bushy, rather delicate
- Growth height: 20 to 30 centimeters
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
- Other: very easy to care for, little water required, numerous shades of blue and purple tones
Dark Cranesbill "Espresso" (Geranium Maculatum)
Less bright flower colors over dark leaves give the dark cranesbill its name. At the same time, this plant is able to contrast other geranium plantings with its peculiar appearance and thus give the play of colors optical depth.
- Characteristics: loose, bushy growth
- Growth height: up to a maximum of 30 centimeters
- Location: partially shaded to sunny
- Other: subtle pink flowers, less luxuriant growth than other perennial geraniums
balcony geraniums
notice: Pelargoniums, to which the “balcony geraniums” belong, actually come from southern Africa. Therefore, they are usually not hardy. Nevertheless, a few varieties are able to defy our winter conditions and can therefore confidently be regarded as hardy, perennial geranium varieties.
Pelargonium Endlicherianum
Contrary to most other pelargonium varieties, which do not come from Africa but from Turkey, this plant is well able to cope with low temperatures in the minus range. However, like most hardy pelargoniums, it differs greatly in appearance from the well-known and popular balcony geraniums with their mostly double flowers.
- Characteristics: loose, herbaceous growth with a less dense shape and low ground-covering properties
- Growth height: up to 60 centimeters
- Location: partially shaded to sunny
- Miscellaneous: Geranium is not very common here, so no German name known
Tricolor Geranium (Pelargonium Tricolor / Pelargonium Violareum)
As a hardy variety, the tricolor geranium is very similar to the previous variety in growth habit and other characteristics. Their most impressive distinguishing feature is the tricolor of the flowers. White and red petals will be held together by a black eye.
- Characteristics: herbaceous, loose growth habit, only partially covering the ground
- Growth height: around 50 to 60 centimeters
- Location: partially shaded to sunny
- Other: distinctive blooms, similar to other balcony geranium species
tip: Since hardy geraniums usually flower less profusely or do not have the typical, double geranium flowers, many gardeners choose the annual varieties instead. The three-colored geranium is a real alternative thanks to its special blossom. It allows for a perennial planting, which is nevertheless able to produce the blossom splendor and the usually hoped for, geranium-typical flower shape.