The Germane Geranium
By Andrea Peck
When I mentioned to my mother that I might write about geraniums this week, she paused distractedly as she crossed the road and stated, “Isn't that a bit boring?”
While there was a brief moment in which I personalized this comment, I quickly realized what she meant. The fact is geraniums don't have the most exciting reputation. Though I do associate them with attractive window boxes on the exterior of cute French homes and I think that France is definitely high on the interest scale, this is a plant that is often overlooked.
As the conversation wound on, there was a discrepancy between the how much water a geranium requires. According to my mother's neighbor, geraniums require a lot of water. I did a double- take at this and was rewarded when we glanced out into the weed-spackled lawn. On the side of the lawn, there was a section set aside for ornamental planting. Most of these plants had long died due to drought. A rectangle of barren brown earth sat empty, but for one sole survivor. No doubt the impenetrable hardpan, out of which poked one or two resilient weeds did not help nurture those long-gone plantings. But, what still survived, sturdy and blooming? Yes, of course, a nice red geranium bush.
Odd though, how you can walk past that bush and see just the dead-looking soil surrounding it. They are quite the invisible plant, able to stand, solid and stoic, all the while completely underappreciated. I have my own geraniums. They rest in two pots right outside my front door. I see the beauty that they add, the color, but my eye never really resides on their form for long.
Nevertheless, everyone should have a geranium or two in my opinion. They are quiet workhorses and unless you live in inhumanly hot weather (which some of you do, I know) then they require little additional water. A bit of a drink here and there and they will keep their form.
Geraniums are represented in such a wide variety of colors and types. From white or pink to red and purple to blue, they are a nice low-growing perennial. The great thing about geraniums is how easy they are to propagate. Simply cut off a stem and plant it. Keep it watered adequately at the beginning and it should settle in just fine. They are also deer-resistant. Geraniums flower quite a bit, so it is necessary to prune off dead flowers to keep the plant looking fresh.
My mother's parting shot, one to remember, is that she feels as if she is cheating by having a geranium. They are just that easy.