File:Geranium-11-c3f481fbbfec48328edc1c7b497a92a7.jpg

English: You’ve probably grown annual geraniums (in the genus Pelargonium) for years. But those plants are cousins to true geraniums, or perennial geraniums. These under-utilized flowers deserve a place in your garden for their hardiness and beauty. “Perennial geraniums bloom for months, which is unlike many other types of perennials, which typically flower for only a few weeks,” says Kata Kress Wallace, regional product manager for Walters Gardens. “They’re also fast-growing plants that don’t require a lot of care. Even beginners will have success with this plant.” Perennial geraniums are low-growing, mounding plants that work well as groundcovers, edging plants, or in containers. Also called cranesbill because of the shape of their beak-like fruit produced after flowering, these perennials bloom profusely from late spring to early summer. Pollinators love the delicate flowers that appear on long, graceful stems above the foliage. These perennials are not fussy about soil type, and they grow in full sun to part shade, says Wallace. Deer and rodents generally steer clear of these plants because of their spicy-minty scent.