Herbaceous Perennials – Delphiniums, Aquilegias and Geraniums

The cold spring meant that we could not start potting up the perennials until much later than usual. We have been working very hard to catch up and now the polytunnel is packed with lovely fresh stock and there is overflow in beds 21 and 22.

All the delphiniums are outside. We try and keep them as hard as possible so they are less susceptible to late frosts. We have the tall New Zealand hybrids again – they have been a great success. From the New Millennium Series: Blue Lace, the white Double Innocence, the rose Dusky Maidens and the lilac Morning Lights.  If you like shorter ones we have the F₁ Guardian series which, if deadheaded and fed, seem to go on flowering all summer.

For early colour, the Aquilegias are in flower already. Swan Blue/White, Swan Burgundy & White, Swan Red & White, Swan Lavender, Swan White and Swan Yellow. All medium height around 35cm. Also Koralle (yellow and orange) and William Guiness – a striking black and white.

There is a huge selection in the geranium bed, with a geranium for every situation – sun, shade, herbaceous border, ground cover. We have plenty of the award-winning Rozanne. This is a blue geranium with a white centre (a hybrid of Buxton’s Blue, but longer flowering). Plenty to choose from.  We had to reject stock that was not true to type last year – too pink – and we have noticed that there are a lot of ‘look-alikes’ on offer labelled variously ‘Roxanne’ or ‘Rosannie’ – beware!  We also have the deeper blue Orion which has taken the AGM from the old staple Johnson’s Blue and the really inky Sabani Blue.  Bill Wallis is there – we raise these ourselves from seed; a bit of a lax scrambler but the small purple flowers go on all summer.

For our full list of the geraniums on our plant list as at March 2018 please see the link here to our website.

which takes you to the list of bedding plants, and then scroll down a little…