Alphabetical Plant Listing

Great Hardy Geraniums for Rock Gardens

Best Hardy Geraniums


Bursting with flowers, hardy geraniums also feature a lush foliage which adds valuable texture in the garden. Incredibly tough, pest and disease-resistant, they give a lot and require very little. Most hardy geraniums are ridiculously easy to grow. All they require is moderately fertile, well-drained soil. A few species are even reliably drought tolerant in normal summer conditions.

There is a hardy geranium to suit most garden situations. Some do incredibly well in sunny borders while others prefer woodland settings. Some make fabulous weed-choking ground covers while others are well suited to containers or rock gardens.

The best hardy geranium species and cultivars for rock gardens are those which require sharp drainage and gritty, rocky, or sandy soil. They will thrive and flourish, provided they are provided at least half a day of sun, except in hot summer climates where some protection would be preferred.

Most bloom profusely over a very long season, extending from late spring to late fall (if cut back hard after the first flush of blooms starts to fade in early summer).

To beautify your rock garden, there is a broad array of colors and textures to choose from. If you are looking for a beautiful, low-maintenance, hardy geranium that will sail through the challenges of the seasons, you may want to consider these top-performing varieties. As you will note, some of them have received the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society!

Guide Information

Hardiness 3 - 9
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Geranium - Cranesbills
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Fall
Water Needs Average
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Showy
Tolerance Deer, Drought, Rabbit
Attracts Butterflies
Garden Styles Gravel and Rock Garden
Compare All Geranium - Cranesbills Great Plant Combination Ideas with Geranium - Cranesbills Guides with Geranium - Cranesbills

kojoty / 123RF Stock Photo

While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

Guide Information

Hardiness 3 - 9
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Geranium - Cranesbills
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Fall
Water Needs Average
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Showy
Tolerance Deer, Drought, Rabbit
Attracts Butterflies
Garden Styles Gravel and Rock Garden
Compare All Geranium - Cranesbills Great Plant Combination Ideas with Geranium - Cranesbills Guides with Geranium - Cranesbills

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