Geranium 'Spessart'

Geranium 'Spessart': Blush-White Carpet Where the Lawn Gives Up

'Spessart' smells like citronella and works like a bouncer. Soft, scented leaves cover the ground so thickly the weeds can't get a word in, with pink-blushed white flowers on top. SUN, SHADE, DRY SPELLS? IT'S SEEN WORSE.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Geranium macrorrhizum 'Spessart'
• Common Name: Big Root Geranium
• Height: 40–45 cm (16–18 in)
• Spread: 50–60 cm (20–24 in)
• Flowers: White with a pale pink blush, about 2.5 cm (1 in) across, with dark red calyces
• Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer (May to June)
• Foliage: Soft, hairy, lobed mid-green leaves with a strong citronella scent; semi-evergreen, turning reddish bronze in fall
• Features: Aromatic foliage, rabbit resistant, weed-smothering ground cover

Where to Plant: This is one of the best ground covers for dry shade, the tough spot under trees where the lawn gives up, and it also works at a woodland edge, along a path or as a filler. Plant several 45 cm (18 in) apart and they will knit into a mat that keeps weeds down.

Companion Plants: Clematis 'Stand by Me' rises behind the white geranium with blue flowers from June to August on 86 to 97 cm stems. Filipendula 'Elegans' adds fluffy pink plumes in the middle at 45 to 75 cm from June to August. Tuck Heuchera 'Berry Timeless' at the front for pink flowers from June to October. The white, pink and blue mix feels fresh all summer in sun or part sun.

Plant Care: Plant it in average to dry, well-drained soil. It grows in full sun or full shade, but looks happiest with some afternoon shade. Water through the first season, then it fends for itself. It spreads by thick, shallow rhizomes that sit at the soil surface. That's normal. Pull up pieces at the edge if it wanders too far, or divide it in spring or early fall. Tidy up spent flower stems if you like. The foliage often holds through mild winters, so cut back only tired leaves in spring.

History: Geranium macrorrhizum grows wild in the southeastern Alps and the Balkans, where it is sometimes called Bulgarian geranium, and the aromatic oil from its leaves has a long history in traditional herbal use. 'Spessart' is a garden selection valued for its pale flowers and tidy habit.

Final Thoughts: Plant it under the trees where nothing else will cooperate. Brush past it on the way to the patio for free perfume. SMELLS LIKE A COTTAGE DOCK AT SUNSET.