How large does it get? Does it wander and engulf other plants in the style of Rozanne. I love geraniums.

Don't know yet. It is just starting to grow this spring but already a clump. Will update in about a month.

Thank you. It is certainly gorgeous!

The phaeum (mourning widow) geraniums can (will) seed about...but the white one is an absolute gem for tricky dry shade (alongside g.macrorrhizum 'White Ness')

Campanula, is it invasive? Does it reseed everywhere?

Comes out easily...

Great color!

Yes, it does reseed - but as Catkin states, it is easily recognised and pulled...and for those of us attempting the tricky task of growing under trees, the phaeums are a solid choice (as is g.nodosum). I have the white and a delightful one called Rose Madder. A definite clumper - not a scrambler.

I love the color. Another plant for the ever-growing wish list!

Karen,

I've been admiring the deep color - it's really resonating with me - I'm going to buy one! Since I'm going to place an order with Wayside, do you have any other recommendations that I might add to my order?

Princeton, if you wait a little while longer, they may have a 50% off sale. I don't know if you are into David Austin roses, Wayside carries these beautiful roses too.

ooh, good idea - LOVE David Austin roses - my favorite is Queen of Sweden. Thanks for the tip - there truly is no rush - at this point, I can't get all my purchase in the ground fast enough. Sad but true...

Karen, Thanks again for the tip. Wayside is having their spring clearance sale now & I got the Raven geranium. Of course, I couldn't buy just one thing, so also got Digiplexis™ Berry Canary, Croscomia harlequin & Prince of Orange.

That is great! I really like Raven Geranium. It contrasts nicely with my white geranium that blooms about the same time. They are all very tempting! NOt that I need anymore roses or other plants but couldn't resist and had ordered The Poet's Wife, Hypnotized, Peruvian lily, and a coral bells.

Hypnnotized rose looks beautiful. I always go for the "variegated" varieties of plants - I especially love "Shima Nishiki" tree peony, but it takes years to show the variegation on each peony bloom. I wonder if it is the same with Hypnotized?

I splurged and bought 2 shima nishiki's on their own root, waited 6 years, and then discovered that the vendor sold me a different variety!!

That is really terrible what the vendor did to you. I too am a victim of unscrupulous vendors of peonies. The worst offenders are those on Ebay that do not stand behind their product. They would have an account for about 1-2 years then they changed their names. Ebay is just as bad. They won't look at your case if the item is more than 1 year from date of purchase. With tree peonies, it takes at least 2 years before you will see a bloom. It is so sad though because I did get true to name varieties and very nice plants from a few vendors. But how do you know which one is good and which one is bad?

I also bought a Shima Nishiki on Ebay and after 2 years, it turned out to be a white tree peony. Cost me $30. I could have gotten the right named tree if I had just spent $20 more.

I will let you know about Hypnotized rose. Maybe instead of Shima Nishiki, you should get Neil Diamond Rose. It has the same striping effect as Shima Nishiki and the striping is pretty consistent on a newly planted bush. There are dahlias that have the striping effect too. The one that I grew last year was Tartan.

Neil Diamond Rose

Tartan dahlia

Since I grow these, I don't pine as much for the Shima Nishiki peony.

Thanks for the Neil Diamond Rose suggestion - love that striping!

I have a real problem with Japanese beetles decimating my roses. I've tried everything "natural," and this year, I'm going to try to find a spray. Any suggestions?

I made myself a deal that if I can save my roses from those damn beetles, that I can buy more roses...and that Neil Diamond Rose just made it to the top of my list. LOVE that striping!

I also plan to buy "Circus Circus" herbaceous peony in the fall.

Yes, those darn beetles! I really don't know of any effective ways to control them. Last year I picked 5 5-gal buckets full JBs and I still see grubs in my beds when I dig. I did use a JB trap last year but I think it made the problem worse. Good luck conrtrolling them. I basically have no goodlooking roses from late June to early August.

Other striping peonies that you may like are Candy Stripe and Raspberry Clown, I am looking to get Raspberry Clown someday.

I think Wayside has its sale on now, princeton701. Usually they are fairly expensive compared to other vendors, but sometime they have things no one else has. I got Clematis 'Serious Black' from Wayside last year and it has done well.

Thanks to KarenPA NHBabs!

Campanula's comment really caught my eye..."The phaeum (mourning widow) geraniums can (will) seed about...but the white one is an absolute gem for tricky dry shade (alongside g.macrorrhizum 'White Ness')"

I had a Lily Lovell geranium I got at a swap and just loved it. But it died out. Do they PREFER dry shade? This might have been a moister spot than I had thought. Other geraniums are happy there, so I thought it was a good location. If I could get one that seeded around I would be really happy. If I just planted it slightly up the slope it would be drier.

Which mourning widow is white? I would also love to find a source for bigroot geraniums that are another color than the hot pink basic one.

That is a gorgeous color. The flower color of G. p. 'Samobor' is not as dark but it flowers profusely and I would grow it for the foliage alone.

Love your garden, peren. I don't know how you can keep it so neat and so harmonious. The Raven geranium does not have unique marking on foliage as the Samobor. They are just plain light green.

I second Karen's comment on Peren's very tidy garden!

Mine resembles more of a bomb going off in an English cottage garden...

me too.
phaeum album comes true from seed while the macrorrhizum album has the white petals but pink anthers. There is a seed strain called Snow Sprite (Plantworld seeds) which has pale anthers or White Ness, if you come across it, is a superb, but slow growing big root geranium.

Gotta love Plant World Seeds...sometimes a little too much ;~)

Hi Karen, I just got my Wayside order of 'Raven' geranium. I guess I didn't realize it comes as a root (vs a potted plant). Did yours go from root to blooming in only 1 year? Did you overwinter it inside or leave it in the ground?Any other advice/observations?

I am sorry but I don't remember how it came to me. It might have been bareroot in a bag with peat moss. Soak the bareroot for a couple hours and planted it either in soil or pot. I planted mine in the soil and it took off growing leaves but did not bloom until early spring this year.

Very interesting thread. Thanks everyone. I never even knew there were striped peonies. How gorgeous. Great pictures.

I had Samobor and it died. I really miss it. Does anyone know a source? I've been googling like crazy. Does it come true from seed?

pandora I have to get caught up and just saw this. G. 'Samobor' seeds freely if allowed and the seedlings seem the same as the parent or very close at least. Wish I could help with a source.

Thanks for the kind about my garden!

5/20/2017 update:

I thought that the Raven geranium died, but this spring look what popped up (glad I didn't dig the "dead" plant out).

Karen, thanks again for the recommendation - it's well worth its real estate in the garden. Other than its great color, I also like that the blooms are held so high above the foliage & that it's so floriferous in the shade.

Gorgeous, princeton!

Thanks for the update, princeton. Love the flower color. Is it more of a mounding plant rather than a scrambler? TIA

Jacquie

Hi Jacquie, mine is mounding. It's actually kind of surprising how big a mound it became in such a short period of time. I had pretty low expectations when I unpacked the little bare root from the vendor.

Plant World Seeds was new to me, so thanks for the new source! Binged on it last night and this morning, and just placed an order of lots of seeds I don't need, but covet anyway! :)

Karen, do you happen to have any pics of your Neil Diamond or Hypnotized roses? Would love to see them :)

If anyone is looking for 'Samobor', it's 50% off now @ bluestone: https://www.bluestoneperennials.com/GESA.html

Raven is 50% off, too:

https://www.bluestoneperennials.com/GERA.html

No pics of either roses yet! Due to the crazy temps earlier this year, most of my hybrid teas roses had to be pruned to the ground. Maybe in a few more weeks.