A patio is a great place to grow geraniums because they are easy to grow in pots and bloom over a long period. When I say geraniums are great for a patio garden, I don't mean actual Geraniums, I mean pelergoniums. What's the difference you say?
credit: Mommy of Five
This is a geranium. It's a member of the genus Geranium, sometimes also called "cranesbill."
credit: Margaret Anne Clarke
And this, is a pelargonium, which is what most people think of as geraniums. It is a great plant to grow in pots on a sunny patio because it tolerates hot, dry conditions well. Pelargoniums are popular flowers around the Mediterranean, in Spain, Southern France, and Italy, where people tend to spend lots of time outdoors on their patios, eating and drinking wine.
Local nursery tend to carry varieties of pelargoniums that are bright colors such as hot pink, orange, or fire engine red. If your garden is more of a pastel palette, you might consider planting "scented geraniums" instead. My favorite is "rose geranium" which has a wonderful scent of roses, soft fuzzy leaves, and lovely light pink flowers.
Whether you call them geraniums or pelargoniums, these flowers will be a great addition to your patio garden!
For more patio gardening check out GardenGrrrl's blog, GardenSong or join our gardening chat at the Blissfully Domestic Garden discussion group.
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