Geraniums are a perennial plant that are becoming more popular every year—and coming in more varieties, too. These geraniums are sometimes referred to as cranesbill geraniums to differentiate them from the annual geraniums. The cranesbill name is the result of the seedpod shape which looks like that distinctive bird’s beak. The annual geraniums are the showy flowers often seen in containers and window boxes. Cranesbill geraniums are perennials and have a smaller leaf and flower, but are no less beautiful in how they can fill out an area of your garden bed. The newer varieties grow with a spreading habit about one to two feet tall and are covered with single flowers. These beautiful flowers range in color and include white, blue, purple and an almost black flower.
The geranium plants will bloom from spring into fall. The leaves can also be a part of the color show. Some start out with a green leaf that turns red in the fall while the some have leaves that are chocolate brown all season. These hardy geraniums are drought-tolerant and disease-resistant, so they are friendly to grow for a beginner gardener just looking to get into the hobby. Best of all, they are not very attractive to deer or rabbits either, so you don’t have to worry about your new flowers getting eaten out of your garden. Geranium plants are a great addition to your garden or woodland and make adding color as easy as digging a hole and planting.