Most perennial geraniums self-seed, apart from a few sterile hybrid cultivars. However, the trick is obtaining or purchasing the seed for these plants. The seed is just not readily available. A very pretty plant is our native Geranium maculatum, which can be seed grown after cold-moist stratification. Unless you are experienced growing perennials, especially native ones, I would recommend purchasing your first geraniums (in flower if necessary) so that you can see all their individual characteristics. Geraniums are tough enough to transplant when in flower. Not all plants are this tolerant.

I am in Zone 6 as well; last year I left it in a 25 Gallon Pot I had outside; I put a lot of mulch; but it died anyway. This year I put 2 in the Ground and 3 in Pots; I think I may have luck this winter with them; all my other tropicals that I put in the Ground came back this year; and all the ones I left in Pots didn't come back. I have been told that with Tropicals it is best to plant them as close to the house as possible this way the warmth from the house will keep the roots from rotting. I have a brick house with a finished basement; so my plants are right ouside my Basement Windows; so they are probably getting enough warmth to stay alive. This winter is the Test for my Passionflowers. I am also going to bring 2 of the 3 inside and place them in my Downstairs bathroom with Plant Lights; and the Humidity from the Shower may help; at least that is what some woman I met told me. So I am going to give it a try. & the one I am leaving outside I am not only going to give it a lot of Mulch; but my husband made a suggestion of putting some type of insulation around the Pot as well as a Large; Large; Clear Plastic Bag I got from a Friend It will fit the Trellis and pot nicely. So if anyone has other suggestions let me know because I really want to find a method to keep one in a Pot outside during the Winter. I am not sure how I am going to deal with the 2 that are in the ground other than a couple of inches of Mulch. I may cut one down and leave the other in tact with a trim. But all suggestions are welcome

Jenn, You are getting snow? We are getting another sprinkle. This year has been ridiculous. So based on the comments here, I guess the plan is to do as much as possible with raking leaves and cleaning dead things out and working on the compost piles. Our ground is soft so maybe we should dig the new bed awhile. That way I can still get some things accomplished without disturbing plants. Laceyvail - Wow! We stopped trying to grow soft fruit trees like apricots for that very reason. The blueberries are grown in pots so I can move them to a sheltered location if strange weather threatens, though moving 32 huge pots presents its own challenges. The strawberries so far have not affected by late spring freezes but again, I have trees on that one side so it does create a microclimate. I wish the weather would make up its mind!

I second the recommendation for the Rozanne cranesbill and coreopsis. Coreopsis come in different flower forms, all long blooming. I have had the best luck with a yellow threadleaf coreopsis called Zagreb. It's supposed to be extra hardy. I have also had bad luck overwintering Gaillardia. I had five Arizona Red Shade plants last year, and all of them died over the past winter. I also second the recommendation about the reblooming daylilies such as Stella D'Oro (golden yellow). They are very long blooming, and they should be fairly easy to find and probably cheaper than some of the fancier daylilies. There are other "Stella" varieties in other colours, too: I have purple and red Stellas. Up here, I see Stella D'Oro daylilies planted in places like shopping mall parking lot medians. That says something about how low-maintenance and useful these plants are. I doubt they get a lot of TLC in places like that, and they probably provide colour more cheaply than annuals that must be replaced every year. Some salvias are relatively long blooming, especially if you cut off the old blooms. Blue Hills salvia and East Friesland salvia have been good for me, but there are probably others that also bloom well. Salvia are pretty tough.