Hardy geranium — called "näva" in Swedish — should not be confused with the pelargonium (Pelargonium) sold as "geranium" in florists. True geranium is a hardy, winter-tough perennial that forms dense cushions of beautifully lobed leaves and blooms with simple, five-petalled flowers in blue, lilac, pink, magenta, and white.
Varieties for Scandinavian Gardens
There are hundreds of geranium varieties. Here are the most popular in Scandinavia:
Bloody cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum) — compact, robust, and extremely hardy. Pink to magenta flowers May–September and brilliant red autumn colour. Thrives in dry, sunny soil.
Magnificent cranesbill (Geranium × magnificum) — violet-blue flowers in June, impactful display. Thrives in sun to partial shade.
Geranium 'Rozanne' — one of the most acclaimed perennials in recent years. Large blue-lilac flowers with a white centre, blooming from June all the way to frost. Excellent ground cover.
Wood cranesbill (Geranium sylvaticum) — our native cranesbill! Blooms in May–June with blue-lilac flowers in partial shade and shaded positions. Thrives under deciduous trees.
Light
Geranium is flexible — most species thrive in partial shade, but bloody cranesbill and some others tolerate full sun. Wood cranesbill and Geranium macrorrhizum are the best choices under trees and in shadier borders.
Soil
Relatively unfussy about soil. Most varieties thrive in normal garden soil, well-draining to moisture-retentive. Bloody cranesbill tolerates dry, lean, and lime-rich soil well.
Watering
Established geraniums are drought-tolerant, especially bloody cranesbill. Water during the first establishment season and during extremely dry periods.
Maintenance
Cut the plant down to a hand's breadth from the ground immediately after flowering. Fresh new leaf rosettes and often a second flowering emerge quickly. Rozanne is not cut back — it blooms continuously without intervention.
Division
Divide older clumps every 4–5 years in autumn or early spring to revitalise the plants.
Ground Cover
Geranium is one of the garden's best ground covers under deciduous trees and shrubs. Dense cushions outcompete weeds effectively, and the lobed foliage is decorative even outside the flowering period.
Common Problems
Hardy geranium is remarkably trouble-free. Powdery mildew can occur late in the season — a hard cut-back addresses this and gives fresh new growth.
