Grow This List of Perennial Plants
The Perennial Plant Association Picks Geranium Rozanne for 2008
Apr 5, 2008
Geranium 'Rozanne' History
The 2008 Perennial Plant of the Year is Geranium ‘Rozanne.’ Blooms of Bressingham at the Chelsea Flower Show introduced this hybrid, of the Geraniaceae family, in the year 2000. The much admired plants man, Alan Bloom, founded Blooms of Bressingham. The Chelsea Flower Show is held annually in London, England.
Geranium ‘Rozanne’ Plant Care
This plant has a jeweled violet and blue colored flower, highlighted with purple and violet veins pushing outward from the white center. The dark green foliage with a chartreuse marbling shows off a red color in fall. The leaf is deeply incised which gives the plant a light feathery look.
Geranium ‘Rozanne’ is zoned for 5-8. It does well in full sun but, in hotter climates, thrives better shaded from the afternoon sun. The plant reaches 20 inches high with a spread of 24-28 inches and likes to be planted in a moist well-draining soil.
A hair cut, cutting the stems down about 3 inches, in late summer will help encourage healthy growth. Disease and insects do not seem to bother this geranium.
Past Perennial Plant of the Year Winners
Other perennials that were winners and also have similar culture as Geranium ‘Rozanne’ include:
- Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’ 2007
- Dianthus gratianopolitanus ‘Feuerhexe’, also known as Firewitch 2006
- Leucanthemum ‘Becky’ 2003
- Phlox ‘David’ 2002
- Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’ 1999
- Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red' 1996
Geranium 'Rozanne' Garden Ideas
This geranium’s violet blue flowers provides many garden ideas. They go well with plants that have a pink or rose coloringm plants with a stiff structure like some grasses or iris and plants with an upright habit or thicker leaf such as daylilies, salvias or veronicas. The meandering habit of Geranium ‘Rozanne’ does well among a garden bed of evergreens, as well
For container gardeners this geranium’s adventurous nature can be an advantage. A flower box planted with cascading Geranium ‘Rozanne’ would be a dramatic beauty hanging from a balcony.
Look for other perennial geraniums. This ground cover type plant comes in a variety of flower colors, plant hieghts and leaf shapes. Gardeners should not confuse this perennial plant with the annual bedding plant, commonly called geranium.
The Perennial Plant of the Year designation helps gardeners search for dependable perennials plants. The Perennial Plant of the Year selection judges use criteria such as suitability for wide-ranging climate conditions, low maintenance, insect and disease resistance and many seasons of interest.
