Geranium Biokovo Karmina is a Garden Win

Every spring the front sidewalk hosts the most beautiful pink blooms (below) from the Cranesbill Geranium ‘Biokovo Karmina’. Although it has no noticeable floral scent, the foliage is lightly scented and seems to be ground squirrel and rabbit resistant in my garden. Pollinators such as bees and butterflies love the blooms. I love the long-blooming pink flowers – it functions as a groundcover at the beginning of the walkway (see photo to the below). While it loves full shade and part-shade, it is one of the only geraniums I have which toughs it out with no extra water or babying in full-sun, full-heat conditions. When it is faced with extreme drought the flower production reduces slightly, yet it perseveres.

Plant in zones 5 to 8 in a well draining soil that has been enriched with a bit of organic matter such as rotted manure or leaf mold. Shear off the flowers once they bloom and expect a second sporadic bloom throughout the season. Best divided in spring or fall. Do not over fertilize – prepare the soil properly then ignore the plant for best performance.

Originally, I purchased a dozen of the strong little perennials because they were advertised as both a sun and shade plant which has a bloom of over four weeks – and indeed they do – sometimes blooming five weeks. I have rarely divided the plants in all these years, and they have become thick without becoming invasive. A simply wonderful no-tend plant which weathers low-water conditions very well if planted in a rich organic soil with plenty of drainage. In the fall it has an extremely long six weeks of smashing orange, red, and yellow fall color as well. This geranium is a definite garden win. If you want a gorgeous, all-purpose, tough little drought tolerant plant – then perennial Geranium ‘Biokovo Karmina’ is for you!