Long ago, before I even started to travel abroad, I heard about geraniums in Germany. They have geraniums (Ok, garden purists, pelargoniums!) in pots, in window boxes, on the sidewalks in front of the buildings... everywhere.
I had a chance to admire them myself during my recent trip to Germany.
I don't know the statistics (and who does?), but during my trip, I saw mostly zonal geraniums. Not like in Italy, where most of the geraniums I saw were ivy geraniums.
Yesterday, I went plant shopping and bought a dozen zonal geraniums for my terracota pots. I will look for more, trying to get different colors. I need some ivy geraniums too, and of course, some Martha Washington (Regal) geraniums! I usually manage to save several of my own plants from the previous year. Some of them I keep in the garage in their original pots, just reduce watering to a minimum. Others, I keep bear rooted in a basket. Since we don't have a basement, like in our previous house, I don't have space to hang them upside down.
My success rate in using previous year's geraniums differs from year to year. This winter, I took one plant to overwinter inside the house, and it served as a house plant (this is what they do in Russia - have geraniums as houseplants!). It looks great and I just set it outside:
Returning to Germany, I thoroughly enjoyed all the plants which they had in baskets, pots, troughs, etc.,
but geraniums prevailed, especially in the window boxes.
I certainly will remember Germany as a country where they love geraniums, not only dandelions! (My previous post Where Do They Love Dandelions).
I took many pictures of the flower arrangements during my trip and will show them in my other post. Some of them are just adorable!
I love geraniums too. Have never tried overwintering them, but will this year now that I have a greenhouse. This looks like a quaint area you visited. Very nice!
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your photos from Germany. Like Darla said..it looks very quaint. I have never had luck with geraniums, but love to look at them. :)
ReplyDeleteYou made me remember a trip we made to south Germany 25 years ago. In the small villages in the countryside they had huge Geranuims hanging all over the balconies - it was amazing to see! I'd love to see more pictures from your trip / gittan
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing these photos... very beautiful! I am going to experiment with ivy geraniums in my hanging baskets this season... hope they make a good show for me as some varieties are said to be temperamental in this climate... Larry
ReplyDeleteThanks for the virtual trip - it is nice to see some of Europe again, the architecture is so different.
ReplyDeleteNow I know why I love geraniums Tatyana. It is the tiny bit of German in me. LOL! I am enjoying your vacations pictures of Germany. Their flower arrangements are just so pretty. I love looking at all of the buildings and gardens.
ReplyDeleteHi Tatyana~~ I love how people garden even when there is no ground. They just use pots outside their doorway. So cool! Love the Geraniums. I need to get me a few too.
ReplyDeleteAmazing I didn't see a lawn mower anywhere.
ReplyDeleteHi Titania, there is something particularly pretty in a European style of planting, exemplified by window boxes and pots like in the photos. Cobbled lanes - very picturesque and different to New Worlds like the US and Australia! cheers, catmint
ReplyDeleteI love all of those fantastic buildings. The flowers are just added character
ReplyDeleteSuch fun seeing Germany through your lens! I've never been, but have a keen desire as my family is from the Netherlands. I love all the geraniums, wow, such pretty window boxes. I have never considered wintering over geraniums inside my house, this is a very fun suggestion! Glad you had a great trip and looking forward to more posts about Germany!
ReplyDeleteAmazing photos! I lived in Europe for 1 1/2 years and this is where I grew to love flowers--they have so many amazing gardens, window containers, street containers...it's all so breathtaking! I vowed to one day have a garden of my own. My own garden is small, but it is well tended. Thanks for bringing back such wonderful and vivid memories.
ReplyDeleteBoy, they really do like geraniums. I have tried overwintering them with not great luck. Yours looks great and healthy,
ReplyDeleteEileen
I miss Germany. I love the window boxes. Great post.
ReplyDeleteHello, Tatyana!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous place. All the flowers are so beautiful!!! Wonderful captures.
Thanks for the virtual trip. I thank you for sharing these pictures.
Thank you everyone! I am glad that you noticed not only the flowers bur also all those beautiful buildings and streets!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and daughter just got back from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Which cities did you visit? Their pictures are very similar to yours. Carla
ReplyDeleteI love all of the photos! Some great ideas for presentation. I feel like I'm seeing Germany with you. Thank you for sharing. I have tried to overwinter geraniums several different ways with little luck. My Grandmother always had red geraniums in her classroom. I've tried to grow them indoors and they hate me. Great post.
ReplyDeleteI just came over from Country Diary of a Southern Lady, and am so glad that I did! Wow! All of these photos from Germany makes me want to go back again. When we were there three years ago in the fall to visit family the flowers were still gorgeous. What part of Germany did you visit? I loved all of the flower shops too....great ideas! And geraniums...love them! I had a lot of them last year too so I need to go back to my flower place where they have them for a dollar and buy some more.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to come back later and read more posts, but now its time to get busy with all the 101 things I have to do. Enjoyed reading and looking at your beautiful photos!
Hi Tatyana, All those flowers look wonderful. I have sometimes kept geraniums as houseplants over the winter, but they tend to get kind of leggy and messy looking. I suppose the trick is to prune them back and fertilize them in the spring. Maybe I should try it again. -Jean
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