Slow growing is the right term even though I WS seeds the first year and got sprouts. I planted them and one actually bloomed this year. Clear, bright red but a single bloom does not an impact make. I don't know if the blooms increase with age or not but so far I'm extremely under impressed except for the color. I guess I question whether or not they're worth the effort as I think I read that they are short lived as well.

I agree with gardenweed. They are indeed short lived, at least I have found that to be the case with the chiloense species (like 'Mrs. Bradshaw'). With regular dividing, the coccineum Geums like 'Mango Lassi', 'Cooky', etc seem much longer lived and do better here, along with G. triflorum 'Prairie Smoke' and my G. rivale 'Flames of Passion'. I think that, unlike the chiloense, the coccineums can handle our wet winters and springs better.
CMK

Hi, I usually lurk but thought I'd share my experience with Lady Stratheden. I planted very small plants last year in a slightly raised bed in all day sun and had great bloom this year - drainage may be key. It's sort of an airy plant but very pretty. I had a smattering of rebloom but would think of it as an early summer flower. What really impressed me was the extreme drought tolerance. Even though last summer was so dry and this summer so hot I literally never watered and the foliage continued to look great. So, too soon to know about longevity - will have to see what this winter and next spring bring. Margie

I have never grown Mrs. Bradshaw, but I have two varieties of geum, Borsii and Fireball. The Boris geums were planted 5 springs ago, and the Fireballs (5 plants) are in their second season. They are all planted in a raised gravel bed (originally a vegetable garden, one third of the soil removed and replaced with sharp gravel) and they are also mulched with gravel.

They have done well here, but I only get minor rebloom. I especially like the way the small bright flowers wave gently in the wind on stalks well above the basal foliage. To me they have prettier flowers and are much more persistent for me than the older varieties of Gaillardia. (The lovely Oranges and Lemons gaillardia won't even overwinter for me.) They do best in mass plantings (in my case very small masses, 5 each) since the bed is smallish and prime real estate for "drought tolerant" plants in my garden.

The foliage stays nice until early fall, even in years like this where we went 6 weeks without rain. I cut off the flowering stalks, and neaten them some after bloom, but leave up the rest of the foliage over winter, hoping it helps them overwinter.

I know of other people in my region that grow them in regular garden soil, but I have never asked anyone if they were long-lived. I do know my own garden and I am sure that they would be expensive annuals for me if not planted in my gravel bed. I simply do not have the drainage for them.

I bought and planted a mrs bradshaw last year and was really chuffed when in April this year it bloomed its first flower. It was on top of a really tall stem (compared to leaves) so i was excitingly waiting for other flowers from mrs bradshaw. 2 weeks later the same stem grew another flower so i had 2 little bright red flowers. And thats it! No more flowers- just the 2! I deadheaded the flowers and cut the stem at the next set of leaves. I hoping that next year it will give me more than 2 single blooms!
But as the flowering stem was tall maybe i should have cut it down more? Im not sure and im looking forward to what others say about this topic.

I had bad luck with mine...lost them both years

noooo, this was one of my best flowers - just a few long stems from a fresh clump of foliage but each stem had at least 2 flowers and more appearing from sideshoots all summer - they started in late May and are still going with the crocosmia and dahlias - very airy and piercingly bright blooms which also looked terrfifc with salvia microphylla.

My luck's been not so great with the nice looking Geum I thought a small patch on the dry side with afternoon shade with Vinca Minor and Cranesbill was what they would thrive in. The Geum didn't languish, it just died.
Can anyone suggest the ideal aspect and soil ph etc.? Really want to give it another shot. In a pic somewhere I thought the Mrs Bradshaw Geum companioned well with Stachy (Lambs Ear)
The grayish green tones worked well with the orange Geum.
Sorry Geum lovers, just unsure where to go next? Thanks

Mrs. Bradshaw has 5 blooms open and each stem has about 3-5 buds not opened yet. I have two plants near each other..after it is finished blooming, does the foliage die back or do you cut it back to the basal plant? I think I will maybe move it back further some or plant it in a corner of the flowerbed in the Fall. It needs a lot of room it appears.

Be had this plant for 3 years,the first year it bloomed great. Then 2 years now good foliage but no blooms? Can anyone help?

Looking for advice... My geum Bell bank has plenty of flowers - but they're not opening up to display petals. Any ideas?

Mmm, they do look a bit on the sparse side. Usually, like one of its parents, g.rivale, it starts as a shy and dainty bloomer but should raise its head a bit as the petals extend and open. I found my geums appreciated a fairly rich diet and a whole lot of moisture, even the pure g.chiloense (had a torrid time of it last dry summer with a few losses). This one likes a bit more sun than the water avens too.

Is it in the ground? Best to start a new thread - there are a few geum lovers here - Christin (mxk3) for sure and others.

Thanks @campanula UK Z8, actually think I somehow ended up with geum rivale not bell bank - the pictures are pretty spot on!! I've mailed the supplier