(Photo:Macrorhizome Clump/My Shady Garden)
The garden plays to all your senses. The visual is obvious. The scent is another. The ‘Macrorhizome’ hardy geranium delights both of these senses exceptionally well.
(Photo: Magenta Flowers Macrorhizome/My Shady Garden)
These scented hardy geraniums (not to be confused with the annual geraniums) do best in partial shade though tolerate full sun. They are placed right by my front door because of their sweet, tangy fragrance is so welcoming. Magenta flowers poke out above the mounded leaves and the bees pay a call. When you brush the fuzzy leaves, their scent is released too.
The name ‘Macrorhizome’ is very descriptive of its root system, which ‘floats’ along the surface. It sends out horizontal stems that sends out roots and shoots that barely seem attached to the earth. This mass becomes weed smothering, though ‘Macrorhizome’ is non-invasive and drought resistant. If they grow beyond their boundaries, it is really easy to rip out the plants you don’t want – since they are barely rooted.
(Photo: Macrorhizome Root System/My Shady Garden)
Though many of my gardening friends have received ‘Macrorhizome’ as a friendship plant, I always caution them to make sure it is kept good and moist during the initial transplant – otherwise they wilt and will die. But once ‘Macrorhizome’ takes, they will have friendship plants of their own in a few years.
A surprising benefit of this scented geranium, is that they have great fall color and never completely go away during winter – so they provide some winter interest. Try this shade loving perennial near your door. It will provide you with a welcoming scent as you and your guests pass by.
