Geranium Dragon Heart

This is a spreading Geranium, non-aggressive but happy to meander through other plants.

Have you ever wondered which plant defines the English garden look? For us, the answer is undoubtedly Hardy Geranium, with its billowy yet open habit and its eagerness to overlap its neighbors in a friendly way that shows off its own large, lovely foliage while also complementing different colors, shapes, and textures. This is why The English Garden named 'Dragon Heart' a Top Perennial of 2014.

And of all the Hardy Geraniums you might grow, 'Dragon Heart' is one of the absolute best! It spreads naturally, weaving in and out of its neighborhood while tossing up bold magenta and black blooms as it goes. And it flowers far, far longer than most others -- from early summer until mid-fall is not unusual! This is a plant you simply must dot around the sunny to partly shaded border, treat to your best containers, and share with your Roses and other open-habit shrubs and perennials.

'Dragon Heart' reaches just a foot high in bloom, yet spreads up to 18 inches wide and is so well-branched that it sets far, far more flowers than most others. These 2-inch blooms are a rich, shimmery magenta with a black center and deep red veins. They appear on very slender amber-brown stems, their bright beauty contrasting with the soft green of the large foliage. And while they are most profuse in early summer and fall, they continue right through the hottest weeks of the year in most climates.

A selection of G. dalmaticum, 'Dragon Heart' has ancestry going back to the mountains of Eastern Europe, yet it finds itself quite at home across the Atlantic and closer to sea level as well. It is the perfect cover-up for any leggy perennial, wending its way through the bare stems to create a carpet of brilliant color. (That's the secret of its appeal to roses, too!) Let its large foliage contrast to the needle-thin leaves of Coreopsis 'Jethro Tull'. It's a fine foreground planting for tall Echinacea and Gaillardia, and loves the rich soil favored by Phlox. And the list goes on!

Give this Hardy Geranium full sun in the north, more shade farther south. It likes well-enriched soil and while it will tolerate others, it flowers best when fed and watered regularly. Create that English garden billowy profusion in your own border this season with exciting new 'Dragon Heart'! Zones 4-8.