Breedershavebeen
hybridisingpenstemonsfor
morethan 100 years.They
area fabulousborderplant
and flowerreliablyfrom
earlysummerto mid-
autumn,evenin hot,sunny
conditionsanddrysoil.
The plantsgrow30–90cm
tallandlookbestplanted
enmasse.
Thetubularfoxglove-like,
bee-friendlyflowerscomein
a rangeof prettycoloursand
eleganthabit,sotheyblendTherearearound 70 speciesand 700
varieties of hardy geraniums.
Commonly called cranesbill, hardy
geraniums are stalwarts of the
cottage garden. The bee-friendly
flowers, which come in white, pink,
magenta, purple and blue, float above
attractive, often finely toothed
foliage, creating mounds from a few
centimetres up to 60cm tall. Some are
evergreen, while others display lovely
autumn leaf colour.
Kick off your collection with the
native Geranium sanguineum, which is
also known bloody cranesbill because
leaves turn blood red in autumn
beforetheyfall.3 Hardy geranium
4 Penstemon
seamlessly into any
herbaceous border. They also
look stunning partnered with
old-fashioned roses and in a
natural-style prairie scheme
of ornamental grasses, asters
and rudbeckias.enemies are slugs and snails,
which can strip them
overnight, so protect with
beer traps and copper rings.
Make more: Generally, hardy
geraniums readily self-sow,
flinging seeds far and wide from
their cranesbill-shaped seed heads
that appear after the flowers have
faded. Mature plants can also be
divided in spring or autumn.Make more: Mature hosta
plants can be dug up and
divided in early spring
when they are first
showing growth. Rinsing
the soil off the roots will
allow you to identify the
new shoots easily.
Make more: As they may
succumb to frost, take a
few summer cuttings to
have a ready supply of
replacement plants. They
root easily, especially if
you select non-flowering
shoots. Cut the stem just
below a pair of leaves.
Root them in a cold frame,
well away from direct sun.