Biokovo Cranesbill easy on eyes, great in yard

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/05/2015 (3855 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

This year’s Perennial Plant of the Year (as chosen by the Perennial Plant Association), Biokovo Cranesbill, is a great addition to the garden.

Not only is it fully hardy for our area, it is undemanding, long flowering, likes shadier locations, and is deer resistant. How much better can it get? Well, just a tad. Biokovo, currently in the limelight, is only one of several equally great members of this family.

Cranesbills are low growing, ground covering-type perennials. Flowering typically starts early summer and continues for several weeks. They sometimes look tired after flowering finishes up, but give them a hard pruning and they perk right up. The foliage is fragrant (this is the put off to deer), and in some cultivars, turns red in the fall. Talk about a desirable perennial!

Cranesbills like partial shade. They’re game for a fair bit of shade, but flowering will be reduced. Once established, they aren’t too picky about soil moisture but struggle in very wet conditions. Properly sited, cranesbills are reliable.

Understanding their nature and embracing it is the best approach to ensuring success. Think of them as groundcovers with lovely flowers. Plant them in masses; small or large works equally well. Be sure to give them space and let them dance a bit. Some cranesbills stay put, others spread by seed or rhizome. Not to worry, they aren’t aggressive. Simply pull out any unwanted spreaders.

Cranesbills absolutely shine when located at the front of a bed, but are just as happy to fill spaces in large beds, hold down the fort on slopes, or enliven a sun-dappled understory.
For those looking for ways to reduce the lawn, cranesbills are worth considering. They are not a lawn substitute, as they will not withstand foot traffic. But in places that are visual amenities only, cranesbills are ideal. Simply expand the existing bed by a few feet and fill it with cranesbills and mulch.

Pay attention to the flower colour. Biokovo Cranesbill, perennial of the year, has a lovely soft pink blossom, which after many weeks, is not going to tire the eye. Nor will the whites and blues of other cultivars. Approach the bold pinks and fuchsia with caution. Nothing wrong with a jubilant colour, just make sure it is going to play well with the existing colours of your house and other plants that will be flowering at the same time.

There are hardiness zone 3 and 4 cranesbill cultivars available in our nurseries. Those rated for zone 3 will overwinter.

Carla Keast has a master’s degree in landscape architecture and is a Winnipeg-based freelance landscape designer. She can be reached at contact@carlakeast.com.