Product Description

Hardy geraniums are among the most useful garden plants in British gardens because they are reliable, easy to grow and delicately beautiful. Not to be confused with their more tender South African relations pelargoniums, geraniums do not just belong in pots on conservatories and sunny balconies. Instead, they are hardy perennials that can be planted in sun and semi-shade to give colour for much of the year. This concise, illustrated handbook contains detailed information on all aspects of geranium care, providing invaluable reference for amateur gardeners and experienced growers alike. The straightforward approach to essential techniques, together with advice on tackling pests and other problems, and the directory of recommended varieties, will ensure successful results.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1718417 in Books
• Published on: 2008-02-15
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

Review
Found in nearly every garden and surviving neglect most plants would expire in, hardy geraniums are part of a vast genus of plants. From the diminutive Geranium sanguineum to the imposing Geranium psilostemon they come in a range of colours, forms and sizes and can be accommodated in all sorts of different soils and aspects. David Hibberd, a retired nurseryman, has grown and sold hardy geraniums for many years and here shares his experience of their usefulness and ease of cultivation with the reader. From choice to siting, propagating and general care, he clearly and concisely explains the many varieties' requirements. Lavishly illustrated, the photographs clearly demonstrate the differences between them, showing the delicate pinks of Geranium dalmaticum, the shocking pink of Anne Folkard, the pure whiteness of Kashmir White and the soft lavender of Geranium erianthum Calm Sea. The dusky pinks and maroons of Geranium phaeum add a dark feel to the borders in Spring while the sunny Geranium madarense and palmatum, their imposing foliage adding winter interest in warmer areas, greet Autumn with their showers of pink flowers. And not just flowers but attractive foliage too, often scented, and coming in a range of greens from deepest emerald to lime. Part of the RHS Wisley handbook series, this is a comprehensive and concise look at hardy geraniums, fully illustrated and clearly written. Aimed at both the amateur and professional grower, this is an invaluable addition to any serious horticulturalist's bookshelf. - Lucy Watson

About the Author
David Hibberd is now in retirement and is a full-time writer, lecturer and gardener. For many years he ran Axletree Nursery in East Sussex. He lives in Kent.

Customer Reviews

An elegant guide; short and pithy with excellent photos.
There are at least three fine books on hardy geraniums. Yeo's book is exhaustively technical; Bath & Jones' is whimsical and lush; Hibberd's-though a much smaller book-provides an amazing amount of information, all of it well organized and well written. The photography, so important in a gardening reference work, is outstanding.

I own all three books, and Hibberd's is invariably the one that I use.

Karen Anderson (karenand@halcyon.com), Seattle, WA