Geranium

A good bedding geranium has a steady supply of beautiful flowers, is relatively weatherproof and, if possible, has attractive foliage. 'Caroline Schmidt', one of the fancy-leafed varieties, has all these qualities, which is why it remains popular after decades of widespread use in parks and gardens. It is propagated from cuttings, taken every year in late summer or in spring after overwintered plants have resumed growth. This is unlike modern F1 hybrid zonals which are raised from seeds sown in heat in late winter. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM).