Carroll Gardens -- America's Broadest Selection of Garden Worthy Plants

 

The Garden Club
February 17, 2005

 

    

'Sir Cedric Morris' Hardy Geranium

Extra Hardy, Impressive Color and Low-Maintenance All in One
This week we're taking the opportunity to introduce you to hardy Geraniums, specifically 'Sir Cedric Morris'.  'Sir Cedric Morris' was one of our most popular feature plants in 2004 and we are lucky enough to have them back in stock! Hardy geraniums are ideal for use in perennial gardens, rock gardens, borders or as ground cover, and excellent for difficult-to-mow sunny slopes.  They are forgiving and come back year after year with little to no maintenance.  These are true perennials not to be confused with florists' geraniums.

'Sir Cedric Morris' is an especially large flowered variety that produces a visually stunning show of luminescent magenta pink blooms with broad overlapping petals against the large, finely divided deep-green leaves.  Expect an impressive 24-30 inch mound of color from each plant.

Caution: 'Sir Cedric Morris' Often Creates Jealous Neighbors!
Get ready for plenty of questions from passersby about this unusually beautiful plant. Most will assume that it is expensive and takes extensive garden know-how to create such impressive displays. The secret is, 'Sir Cedric Morris' makes it easy! What you tell others is up to you.

  • Forms impressive mounds, about 15-inches high and 30-inches wide

  • Visually stunning color contrast, even from a distance

  • Reblooms in the autumn

  • Handsome deep red fall foliage

  • Extra-hardy, reliably returns every year in zones 4-10 - a true perennial

  • Very low maintenance

  • Deer-resistant

  • Adapts to most any soil (except really sodden, wet soils)

'Sir Cedric Morris' thrives in sunny, hot summertime weather. Just water them regularly until established. Expect the long-lasting blooms from late-spring through early-summer. Our Garden-Worthy certification means your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Planting and Caring
For best results, plant anytime from early spring into early fall.  It performs best in a fully sunny or lightly-shaded location and accepts either acid or alkaline soils, as long as they are well-drained.  Plant 24 inches apart for a weed-inhibiting ground cover.

 Sir Cedric Morris Hardy Geranium - Planting Diagram

  • Water-in new plants with a soluble seaweed fertilizer, such as SeaMate. Do not use chemical fertilizers.  Water regularly until established.

  • Surround new plants with a good mulch or well-rotted garden compost.  A thin layer of mulch is recommended for subsequent years.  Mulching is best when accomplished early in the season just before plants emerge from their winter break.

  • An application of organic fertilizer in early spring is rewarded with extra vigorous plants.  Again, avoid chemical fertilizers. Espoma's Plant-Tone is a great all purpose organic fertilizer.

  • After flowering, usually mid-summer, they can be lightly trimmed or cut-back completely. New foliage will emerge and a second round of flowering will occur in autumn, most seasons, until the first hard freeze.

 

Order 'Sir Cedris Morris' Now'Sir Cedric Morris'

Garden Club Frequently Asked Questions
 

Question: Last week you featured the Dwarf Korean Lilac. Can this lilac be grown in a container?

Answer: Absolutely. Dwarf Korean Lilac can be grown in a large container. Just be sure to use a well-drained professional potting mix and have drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. If you want to keep the lilac looking good all summer, supplemental watering will be needed in periods of drought, however do not use water holding polymers mixed into the soil.

Question: I like to start my own bedding plants from seeds, but I am never sure whether to start them indoors or to plant the seeds directly in the soil outside. Also I understand that some annuals grow best from seeds planted in the fall. I haven't found the information on the back of the seed packet to be very helpful.

Answer: I tore the following table out of a magazine in the early 60's and I found it useful for over 40 years.

Annual Sowing Time
Ageratum A,C
Bachelor's-Button B,D
Calendula A,B
Cardinal-Climber C
Castor-Bean A,C
Gaillardia A,B,D
Larkspur A,C
Lobelia A,C
Marigold A,C
Moonflower C
Morning-Glory A,C
Nasturtiums C
Pansy A, late summer
Petunia A,D
Phlox A,B
Portulaca A,B,D
Snapdragon A,D
Sweet Alyssum A,B,C,D
Sweet Pea B
Zinnia A,C

*A - Indoors for early flowering

C - Outside after frost

B - Early as soil can be worked in the spring

D - Outside late fall

Incidentally, on an entirely unrelated subject, in the same file I came across an article from the same magazine on the high cost of medical expenses. I will quote a few of the sentences:

"Every health service has gone up. Doctors used to charge $3 at the office and $4 at home; now the fees are $5 and $7".

Also from the article: "At this time the average annual cost for medical and dental care for a family of 4 was estimated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics at $320. For each person there was a yearly allowance of $31 for hospital care and $10.50 for dental care."

Question: I took advantage of your sale on Chesapeake Blue Crab compost, I got enough to do the whole vegetable garden. Can I top dress my asparagus bed with Chesapeake Blue? Are there any vegetables that don't like Chesapeake Blue?

Answer: Asparagus love Chesapeake Blue and the top dressing will not only enhance the growth but also give it a better flavor. Chesapeake Blue enhances almost all vegetables; however I am not sure that it does much for either watermelon or rhubarb. It doesn't harm them, but I don't think Chesapeake Blue has the dramatic effect it has on other vegetables.

White potatoes and sweet potatoes grow really well with Chesapeake Blue. The size of the potato is larger and the flavor is better. However, I don't encourage using Chesapeake Blue on these potatoes because the increased calcium may encourage outbreak of a few fungus diseases to which potatoes are particularly susceptible, such as scab and rot. If you are going to use Chesapeake Blue with white potatoes, be sure to plant scab resistant varieties. But, other than the four I mentioned, go ahead and use Chesapeake Blue liberally on your entire vegetable garden.

Question: In a backyard with full shade I would like to plant perennials to add color. They need to be at least 18 inches tall to be seen from the house. Currently, there are some 4 foot rhododendrons that do well there. We just moved here last summer. Soil is sandy and I have dogs and toddlers. The yard is fenced. I enjoy your show and have learned so much. Thank you.

Answer: Full shade is difficult, especially for summer color (not white). There just aren't a lot of perennials that will meet your requirements, but here are some. Consider the following:

The last two are both short-lived, but they seed around nicely if you don't have too much mulch. Sometimes tall garden phlox will naturalize in a shady spot. It's certainly worth a try.

Question: I have Lily turf as a ground cover around parts of my house that gets brown from the winter cold. Can this be cut back to the ground to support the new spring foliage?

Answer: Yes, be sure to do this before the new growth starts.

Question: I just saw an advertisement for Siberian Lavender and I was thinking of sending for some. Is this a good plant?

Answer: To the best of my knowledge, there is no such plant as Siberian Lavender. I have heard of English lavender, French lavender and Spanish lavender. By law all of these offers must list the Latin name of the plan;, although sometimes it's in the tiniest of print. Check the ad again and see if you can find the words Perovskia atriplicifolia anywhere in the ad. Perovskia is Russian sage. It's a really fine plant, but it's not lavender. It doesn't look like lavender and it doesn't smell like lavender. If it's Russian sage that you want I suggest you order it from someone who sells it for what it is and not someone who plays games.

 

 

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