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Pelargonium (a.k.a. Geranium) ?Rocky Mountain Red?

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Pelargonium (a.k.a. Geranium) 'Rocky Mountain Red'

WHY YOU SHOULD PLANT IT

You want a hit of serious colour and especially a pure (i.e., bluish) red.

WHERE TO PLANT IT

This is a South African plant, so it will want warmth and can take blazing sun. It's especially great in containers. (If it comes in an inelegant hanging basket, just pull it out and transplant it.) Despite this plant's toughness, do not overwater it, as doing so introduces all sorts of fungal diseases. Simply spray the top of the plant with tepid water, keeping the bottom barely moist. Pick out the dead blooms the minute they look awful.

WHAT IT OFFERS

This plant is a bloom factory, but only if you deadhead it regularly. And it provides instant colour for baskets and containers. In garden beds, it makes a dynamic filler. Combine it with plants such as indigo-blue salvias for a knockout traditional look.

SOURCE AND COST

'Rocky Mountain Red' geraniums are available at Loblaw stores (www.loblaw.ca) nationwide. Two baskets cost $25.

Visit www.marjorieharris.com for more gardening and plant information.

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