This year I've been hit with a plague of Japanese beetles that have decimated my marigolds. :-( I notice that the beetles have not bothered my phlox, daylilies, black-eyed susans (both wild and cultivated) and/or my red geraniums in wine barrel planters at the front of my house. I was thinking that geraniums would probably thrive in planters in my orange garden and I did a search. I see that there are now orange varieties of geraniums which several nurseries sell, but are currently all sold out. Not a problem since I am looking at next year, not this year.

I'm wondering how popular these orange geraniums are and if this is a recent or new cultivar, and how likely would I be to find them next spring at my local garden store/nursery? If anyone has grown them, can you tell me if they are as hardy as the red varieties? Thanks in advance.

The leaves create a show all season long. I keep deadheading the blossoms stems. Oftentimes the plant will look just like this (mostly tones of green) before a new crop of flowers appear on the long stems.

Up close and pretty true of the flower color

Here's another view in more shade where the blossoms looks more orange/red

The stems are long and thin so the flower "heads" are on the small side. But the color pops against the leaves.

Molie

Jane

I've decided that next year I shall grow several pots of whatever orange geraniums I'm able to find, a few more pots of my usual marigolds (in hopes that the beetles might not be so hungry or numerous next year), and some orange gerbera daisies in the remaining pots. Time to diversify!