Planting a hardy geranium container

5 Minute Friday: Planting Hardy Geraniums – The Perfect Compact Choice for Containers

5 Minute Friday: Planting Hardy Geraniums – The Perfect Compact Choice for Containers

Hi there, and welcome to today’s 5 Minute Friday blog! This week, I’m planting up Hardy Geraniums from the Jolly Jewel Collection. I absolutely love these plants—shorter and more compact than many other Geraniums, they’re a brilliant choice for pots, patios, or any small space in the garden where you want a pop of colour without the plants taking over.

Let’s take a closer look at why they’re such a great option and how to plant them up in a container.


🌿 Why Choose the Jolly Jewel Collection?

Hardy Geraniums, sometimes called Cranesbills, are a real garden classic. But the Jolly Jewel Collection takes things to another level. These are compact plants—growing much shorter than many traditional Geraniums, which makes them perfect for containers, smaller borders, or front-of-bed plantings.

What I love about the Jolly Jewels is:

  • They flower for ages—usually from late spring through to early autumn.

  • They come in a fantastic range of colours, including rich pinks, purples, and reds.

  • The plants stay neat and tidy, so you don’t get that floppiness you sometimes see with taller Geraniums.

  • They’re super low-maintenance, hardy, and come back stronger each year.

In short, they’re a brilliant, easy way to add long-lasting colour to your garden—especially in containers.


🌸 How to Care for Hardy Geraniums in Containers

Here are my top tips for keeping your Jolly Jewels looking their best:

  • Light: They love full sun, but they’ll also tolerate some light shade. A sunny spot on the patio is perfect.

  • Compost: Use a good-quality, moisture-retentive compost—something like a mix of multi-purpose compost with a bit of grit for drainage.

  • Watering: Water regularly, especially in hot weather, but don’t let the compost get too soggy.

  • Feeding: A slow-release fertiliser mixed into the compost is ideal. If you don’t have that, a liquid feed every 4–6 weeks will keep them blooming.

  • Pruning: These plants are naturally compact, but if they do start to get a bit straggly, you can give them a light trim to keep them neat and encourage more flowers.

  • Winter care: Hardy Geraniums like these can stay outside all year. In very cold areas, a bit of mulch or fleece for protection is a good idea, but they’re generally tough as old boots.


🪴 Step-by-Step: Planting Hardy Geraniums in a Container

Let’s get them planted! Here’s how I pot up my Hardy Geraniums for a summer full of colour.

What you’ll need:

  • A medium to large container with drainage holes (about 30–40 cm wide works well)

  • Moisture-retentive compost (multi-purpose with some grit mixed in is ideal)

  • Slow-release fertiliser (optional if not already in the compost)

  • Optional mulch (like bark or gravel) to help keep moisture in

How I do it:

  1. Prepare the pot
    I fill the pot about three-quarters full with compost, leaving enough space for the plants and a final layer of compost.

  2. Remove the plants
    Gently squeeze the pots, tip them upside down, and ease the plants out. If the roots are a bit congested, I give them a little tease.

  3. Arrange the plants
    I’m using several Jolly Jewel plants in a container for a mixed display. I space them evenly around the pot so they have room to grow.

  4. Backfill and firm
    I fill in around the plants with more compost, gently firming it in.

  5. Water well
    Give the container a thorough watering. I water gently, let it soak in, and repeat until water runs out the base.

  6. Mulch (optional)
    A layer of bark or gravel on top helps keep moisture in and gives the pot a tidy look.


🌸 Enjoy the Show

Your Hardy Geraniums will burst into colour from late spring right through to autumn. These compact plants are ideal for containers—no flopping, no mess, just a neat, tidy mound of colour that gets better year after year.

I’m a big fan of the Jolly Jewel collection for small spaces, and if you’ve not tried them before, they’re definitely worth a go. Let me know how you get on, or if you have any questions—I’m always happy to help!

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