Geum: Avens for Months of Border Colour

Geums, also called avens, are cheerful perennials with bright, open flowers on thin, wiry stems. Orange, scarlet, apricot and yellow types float above low clumps of leaves. They bring a lively splash of hot colour to the front or middle of a border.

The best modern varieties flower for months, from late spring into late summer. They are hardy, easy to grow and need little more than deadheading and an occasional divide. This guide covers the best varieties, where to plant them and how to keep them flowering.

What are geums?

Geums are hardy perennials in the rose family. They form a low rosette of leaves, often semi-evergreen, with flowers held well above on wiry stems. Two species grow wild in Britain: water avens (Geum rivale), in damp places, and wood avens (Geum urbanum), a common weed of hedges and shady corners.

Most garden geums are hybrids bred for bigger, brighter flowers and a longer season. They flower in a steady trickle rather than one big burst. A few blooms open every day for weeks on end. That makes them great at knitting a border together.

Geum flowers float on thin stems above the leaves. That airy look lets them weave between other plants.

Best geum varieties for UK gardens

’Totally Tangerine’

If you only grow one, make it this. ‘Totally Tangerine’ has soft orange flowers on tall, wiry stems above a bold clump of leaves. It is sterile, so it doesn’t set seed. Instead it keeps on flowering for months.

‘Mrs J. Bradshaw’ and ‘Lady Stratheden’

These are old favourites. ‘Mrs J. Bradshaw’ has semi-double scarlet flowers, and ‘Lady Stratheden’ is its golden-yellow partner. Both flower mainly in early summer and give more flowers if deadheaded. They are easy to raise from seed.

The classic scarlet geum. Its bright red flowers look great next to blues and purples.

Water avens

Forms of water avens, such as ‘Leonard’s Variety’, have nodding, bell-shaped flowers in soft coppery pinks. They like damp soil and partial shade. They suit the edge of a pond or a shady border with hostas and ferns.

Where to plant geums

Geums flower best in sun, but they cope with light shade. In a hot, dry garden, a little afternoon shade stops them flagging.

They like soil that stays moist in summer but drains in winter. Most garden soils suit them, including clay that has had some compost dug in. On very heavy clay, plant on a slight mound so the crowns don’t sit wet over winter. The guide to the best plants for clay soil has more ideas for heavy ground.

Plant them at the front or middle of a border, where their airy flowers can weave through other plants.

How to plant geums

Plant in spring or early autumn, when the soil is warm and moist.

1. Dig over the soil and add some garden compost.
2. Dig a hole a little wider than the pot.
3. Plant at the same depth it sat in the pot. Don’t bury the crown.
4. Firm in gently and water well.
5. Mulch around the plant with compost, keeping it off the crown.

Space smaller varieties about 30cm apart and taller ones about 45cm apart. Water new plants in dry spells through their first summer.

Deadheading and everyday care

Deadheading is the main job. Cut faded flower stems right down to the leaves. This tidies the plant and encourages more flowers. It matters most for older varieties like ‘Mrs J. Bradshaw’. Sterile ‘Totally Tangerine’ needs less, but a tidy-up still helps. The guide to deadheading flowers covers the basics.

Water in long dry spells, especially in the first year and on sandy soil. A spring mulch of compost is all the feeding they need.

Leave the leaves on over winter. In late winter or early spring, snip off any tatty old leaves to make way for fresh growth.

How to divide geums

After a few years, clumps can get congested and flower less, with a woody centre. Divide them every few years in spring, as new growth starts.

1. Lift the clump with a fork.
2. Split it into pieces with a spade or old knife.
3. Keep pieces with plenty of healthy shoots and roots.
4. Throw away the woody, tired centre.
5. Replant straight away at the same depth and water well.

Division also gives you free plants to spread around the border.

Split old clumps in spring and replant the lively outer pieces. They soon settle and flower again.

What to plant with geums

Geums look lovely in a cottage-style border. Some favourite pairings:

• Orange and blue: ‘Totally Tangerine’ with blue hardy geraniums and lady’s mantle. The lime-green froth and blue flowers make the orange glow.
• Red and white: ‘Mrs J. Bradshaw’ with white astrantia and purple alliums.
• Hot border: scarlet geums with crocosmia, heleniums and Stipa tenuissima.
• Damp shade: water avens with hostas, ferns and brunnera.

For more long-flowering partners, penstemons carry on into autumn, and the guide to cottage garden planting plans shows how to put a whole border together.

Orange geum, lime-green lady’s mantle and blue hardy geranium. It’s a simple trio that flowers for months.

Geum problems and how to fix them

• Fewer flowers and a bare centre: the clump is congested. Divide it in spring.
• Rotting crowns in winter: the soil is too wet. Replant on a slight mound or add grit.
• Powdery mildew: a white coating on leaves in dry spells. Water the roots in dry weather and give plants room. Cut off badly affected leaves and fresh ones will follow.
• Slugs on new shoots: check in spring. The guide to getting rid of slugs has more ideas.
• Seedlings of the wrong colour: hybrid seedlings vary, and wood avens seeds itself about. Pull out unwanted seedlings while small.

Orange geums through soft grasses and allium heads. Their wiry stems weave easily between neighbours.

Growing geums in pots

Compact varieties such as ‘Mai Tai’ grow well in pots. Use a pot at least 30cm wide with drainage holes. Fill it with a loam-based compost such as John Innes No 3, mixed with a little grit. Water regularly in summer, as pots dry out quickly. Feed every couple of weeks in summer with a liquid feed. Divide or repot every couple of years.

Compact geums are happy in a big pot. Just keep the compost moist through summer.

Geum care calendar

Common mistakes with geums

• Never dividing. Clumps get tired and flower less. Divide every few years.
• Planting in soggy winter soil. The crowns rot. Improve drainage or raise the bed.
• Letting them dry out in summer. They flower less in dry, hungry soil.
• Skipping deadheading. Older types stop early without it.
• Burying the crown. Plant at the same depth as in the pot.

Frequently asked questions

How long do geums flower in the UK?

Many flower from May until late summer. ‘Totally Tangerine’ is one of the longest-flowering. Older types like ‘Mrs J. Bradshaw’ flower mainly in early summer, with more if deadheaded.

Do geums need full sun?

They flower best in sun but cope with light shade. In hot, dry gardens, a little afternoon shade helps. Water avens (Geum rivale) types are happy in damp, partly shady spots.

When should I divide geums?

Divide them every few years in spring. Lift the clump, split it into pieces with plenty of shoots and roots, and replant the healthiest outer parts. Throw away any woody centre.

Why are my geum seedlings a different colour?

Seedlings of hybrid geums don’t always match the parent. Geums also cross with each other, and wild wood avens seeds itself around. Pull out seedlings you don’t want while they are small.

Do geums need staking?

Usually not. Their wiry stems are surprisingly sturdy. In an exposed spot, push twiggy sticks around taller varieties in spring so they grow through them.

Are geums good for pollinators?

Yes, bees and hoverflies visit the open flowers. Single and semi-double types are easiest for them to feed from. The long season gives them food for months.

Can geums grow in pots?

Yes, choose a compact variety and a pot at least 30cm wide. Use loam-based compost with some grit. Water regularly in summer, as pots dry out quickly.

For more reliable plants to fill your borders, read the guide to the best perennial plants for UK gardens. You’ll find more in the plants hub.