Regal Geraniums

Our Regal Geraniums look wonderful and they are perfect for garden centers right now. Even with our unusually warm spring, we can still run the risk of some chilly nights and people ask if it is too early to set out plants. While everyone is more than ready for some color, we would rather be safe than sorry.

Regal Geraniums are great in this situation. Not only do they tolerate the cool temperatures when placed and kept outdoors, they can also be used as blooming pots inside the house. They make excellent hostess gifts as well. The flowers are big and dramatic, about 2–3 inches in size.

Although we think of them as retail crops, Regals are perfect for “up-close” landscaping. Use them in places where people will have an intimate view of your containers and garden beds: bordering a courtyard leading to a complex; displayed in a bright interior lobby, or lining a walkway from the parking lot. Regals hold up under inspection; they are different and fancy as Geraniums go, so people are drawn to them and examine them closely. 

If you have design-conscious clients, use these Regals as the centerpiece in a larger bed of standard Geraniums. They would also make fabulous extra-special planters wherever you want to draw attention, like around signs or at doorway entrances.

Culturally, Regals like it on the cooler side, and they perform respectably in semi-shade to moderately bright locations. They do especially well with northern and eastern exposure. This taste for cool semi-shade is especially helpful if you are a landscaper looking for a little design pop in places with tall buildings or tree lines.

Now, we need to do a reality check here: these are not hot summer plants. They will bloom vigorously through the spring and early summer, but they will decline once the real heat of the summer arrives. You need to pair them with hot August plants if you use Regals in landscaping beds.

We grow (7) different colors of Regal Geraniums in 6-inch pots, and they are all equally good, plantwise. Be sure to get a varied mix to show some depth and variety in your Geranium selection. We’ve scattered photos of our current crop throughout this article because the best way to appreciate the Regals is to see them—their main selling features are their extra-vivid blooms.