On a recent trip to my local wholesale nursery, I was surprised to hear an employee say he thought ‘Rozanne’ geranium was a new plant – I’d already been planting and growing it for more than 5 years! And the history of this acclaimed perennial goes back even further – to 1989, when Donald and Rozanne Waterer discovered this strong performer in their Somerset, England, garden.
The violet-blue blooms of ‘Rozanne’ geranium last throughout summer.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Blooms of Bressingham
A river of blue ‘Rozanne’ geranium glistens in full bloom.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Blooms of Bressingham
This is one geranium that looks great in a container by itself or combined with a variety of plants.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Blooms of Bressingham
Typically, perennial geraniums bloom during the cooler parts of the season, but ‘Rozanne’ is anything but typical. Large violet-blue flowers start popping out in great numbers in early summer and continue until frost. Unlike many geraniums that seed themselves about the garden, ‘Rozanne’ is sterile, so it stays right where you want that lovely sea of blue to flow. The leaves are just lovely, with a finely cut, lacy appearance and light marbling for a softly variegated effect. And in fall, the foliage turns red for a season finale you’ll find yourself waiting for every year!
Try ‘Rozanne’ in a container, where it’s a great performer for its color, as well as for its cascades of lacy, dark green and chartreuse leaves that add a beautiful trailing feature. This geranium particularly looks great with ‘Diamond Frost’ euphorbia and ‘Red Star’ cordyline. (If you’re more into pastel-colored plants, replace the cordyline with pink-flowering ‘Dauphin’ butterfly flower.)
In the garden or landscape, ‘Rozanne’ is breathtaking planted in masses. The show of blue waves winding between shrubs like Pink Double Knock Out® roses and Diablo® ninebark, edged with the snowy white annual sweet alyssum, is gorgeous for months on end! Or try planting it someplace where ‘Rozanne’ can over a wall to best show off its captivating trailing effect.
No matter what color combination you’re going for, ‘Rozanne’, in my opinion, is a must-have for any gardener in USDA hardiness zones 5-8. In the cooler summers of zones 5 and 6, you can plant it in full sun to part shade. But in zones 7 and 8, give it afternoon shade. Like other perennial geraniums, ‘Rozanne’ is happy in average soil – so long as it doesn’t have constantly soggy roots (meaning it’s water-logged or has poor drainage) and the pH level isn’t outside its required level. (All perennial geraniums need a pH range of 5-8. If your pH level isn’t in that range, you need to amend your soil appropriately to grow these plants in your garden.)
Once established, ‘Rozanne’ will tolerate drier conditions, but it still needs good drainage. Come August, shear it back to promote a flush of fresh, clean growth and a bushier plant. If your plant exuberantly reaches past its allotted territory in your beds, trim back its lateral branches – it won’t harm the geranium a bit.
Expect ‘Rozanne’ to reach 20 inches tall with a spread of 24-28 inches at maturity. The plant will rarely require division. Warm-climate residents (zones 7 and 8) will most likely have a less upright form as a result of the part shade needed to protect the perennial from the intense heat of the afternoon sun. But don’t think for one instant that this will make ‘Rozanne’ any less desirable – I’ve grown this beauty in part shade and in full sun, and it’s gorgeous in both situations!
Isn’t it amazing that it’s taken almost 20 years for a perennial of such amazing quality to reach the recognition it deserves and receive the Perennial Plant of the Year® award? But that’s okay – ‘Rozanne’ is as patient as she is beautiful. (And this 2008 award winner will be around for a long time to come!)
