I was going to mention Ann Folkard, too. She is a sprawler, but not very floriferous in my garden. But she is a long bloomer and weaves around. I enjoy her. I have other geranium sanguineum (I believe these are the 'bloody cranesbill of mangenta color) but they bloom very heavily in mid spring for two weeks or so, and are pretty much done for the season. I recently read 'endorsement', undoubtably by hybridizer or seller of a 'better' successor to Anne Folkard. If anyone can find it, please post it somewhere so I can read it againl I'm going to try to google it under "better than Anne Folkard"

I grew lots of different hardy geraniums "two houses ago" (having moved 3 times in five years didn't give me a chance to do much with the other garden) and am starting on the garden here at my new place. My favorite is G. pratense var. striatum which is often sold as "Splish Splash". Not sure whether it comes true from seed or not. The flower is described either as blue with white flecks or white with blue flecks and stripes (take your choice! :-). Like all the pratense's, it can get tall and rangy looking if not cut back somewhat after flowering. It's a good plant for a mixed border with other plants of some decent height, such as the taller campanulas. Geranium cantabrigiense is a super all-purpose border and edging plant. The different varieties such as Biokova (or Biokovo), St. Ola, etc., all go well with each other. There is also a white form, or there used to be. It is larger overall than New Hampshire purple. Geranium 'Ann Folkard' is great if you like intense dark magenta flowers with a black eye, and a lot more compact than G. psilostemon with gets to be about three times the size. That said, there's nothing quite like a few G. psilostemon plants in the border to stop traffic (I saw some once that were almost 4 feet tall and threatening to smother the lilies!). I also like the varieties such as G. macrorrhizum and maculatum which have very nice reddish fall color. Not all of the hardy geraniums do. 'Ann Folkard', for instance, just goes yellower. If you really want to get into hardy geraniums, there are two REALLY good books: 'Hardy Geraniums' by Peter Yeo (Timber Press, 1985) and 'The Gardener's Guide to Growing Hardy Geraniums' by Trevor Bath and Joy Jones (David & Charles Publishing, 1994). You can also join The Geraniaceae Group which is based in Dover, Kent, England. They publish a quarterly newsletter and have an annual seedlist. Originally they were part of the British Geranium and Pelargonium Society Group (divison of the RHS) but separated off during the mid or late 1980s and became a separate entity. There is, in fact, a link to some more info here on Gardenweb. Here is a link that might be useful: Geraniaceae Group information

I'm back again, I appreciate all the information you have all provided. Now I have another concern about the geranium. I've lost the paperwork from the blue geranium I ordered so I don't know for sure which variety it is. It is still in a 4" pot and blooming. It's a beautiful lavender blue--not quite the "blue" I was expecting, but a pretty color. I have a concern though. The leaf type looks similar to what I've always heard called "wild geranium." It's the one with the pink flowers and reddish stems. I believe it is "herb-Robert" (G. robertianum). A neighbor gave me a few about 10 years ago and they have taken over my yard. I see they are classified by the State as a noxious weed. So after this long ramble, before I plant these in the ground can anyone tell me if they will become "noxious?" Will they spread into every nook and cranny of the yard and garden or do they stay where they are planted? Hope this all makes sense, I just don't want another plant that turns into a disaster because it takes over everything. Help, please? Thanks :o) Linda

I have a love-hate thing with hardy geraniums - have been through loads of them, having faithfully followed Marjery Fish's dictum 'when in doubt, plant a geranium'. The fact that I only have around a quaerter of them probably speaks more of my negligent enthusiasm rather than fails in the geranium dept. but it has to be said, I did eventually get a bit bored with them (and discovered geums, the next big fad). Anyway, some of my outstanding types. Like you, Marloreana, I also love the riversleanum Russell Pritchard and Mavis Simpson....but it is a gamble whether they return, year on year. I do have White Ness, which is nothing like as vigorous as its less pure relations...a lack of vigour which also afflicts the phaeum, 'album' - a bit of a plus to be honest given its seeding capacity. Most of the ptratensis are mildewy in my sandy soil, and fleeting. Out of the new wallichianum types, I have a couple (Azure something) which is more mannerly than Rozanne....and I must agree with Marloreana (again) that Patricia is a much better plant than the plain psilostemon species (have a fondness for Salome too although it was a bit mean with flowering. Red Admiral - one of the Orkney geraniums, has been floriferous and reliable - huge foliage, vivid, long blooming flowers...but Crystal lake, one of the Orkney bred wallichianums, was a pitiful thing - miles of foliage and tiny pallid blooms (Isphahan warned me!) I love the renardii foliage (one which does well for me) and I also grow a couple of the S,African G.incana/G.robustus types. Ramblin Robin and Silver Cloak bloom all season with filigree glaucous foliage...and I had a craze for the canary island sp. g.maderense, g.canariense and g.palmatum - might grow a white g.maderense from seed. I am not keen on either the weedy oxonianum, endressii or sanguneum but have a lovely tiny alpine 'Carole' and also like the equally tiny Laurence Flatman. Many are easy from seed - g.erianthemum, g.platypetalum, g.soboliferum and g.wallichianum 'Syabru' all come to mind...and another humble but charming white (for a wild garden) is the white g.pyrenaicum 'Snowflake (I think)..G.sylvaticum 'Amy Doncaster' is also easy from seed...but, like many of the early ones, fairly fleeting in bloom. Not terribly keen on the dark leaved varieties and have not grown many (maculatum, Midnight Rieter).