The Flowering Ground Cover That Grows Well With Beautiful Dahlias In The Garden

Is there anything more spectacular than a garden bed filled to the brim with beautiful dahlias in a vibrant assortment of colors and floral shapes? The only downside is that, as dahlias grow from tubers, you usually have to wait a few months after the foliage appears before those magical blooms make their debut. However, it's not that difficult to add more interest and diversity by underplanting your taller-growing dahlias with a similarly appealing flowering ground cover — cranesbill geranium (Geranium maculatum).  

Cranesbill geranium is a woodland perennial that's native to the central and eastern United States as well as southeastern Canada and is hardy in USDA zones 3 through 11. It makes the ideal ground cover for your dahlias because it forms dense clumps with a maximum height and width of just 18 inches. This species has attractive green leaves that are deeply lobed and pretty saucer-shaped blooms that range in color from pink to deep purple. Like dahlias, cranesbill geranium enjoys organically rich soil that is well drained. It also likes consistent moisture, as the leaves may yellow if the soil gets too dry. As these plants start blooming in mid-to-late spring, you'll be rewarded with some color in the yard while your dahlias are just starting to produce their flower buds.

Cranesbill geraniums, or wild geraniums as they're sometimes referred to, can either be grown from seed or plugs available at your local nursery. If you're going to seed them, they may take a year or two to flower. Meanwhile, when grown from plugs, they should bloom in their first year or, at the very least, the following one. Nevertheless, the foliage is quite pleasing and will look great under and around your dahlias. You'll find that this plant will bloom reliably even if it's a little shaded by the taller dahlias. It's also encouraging that very few insect or disease problems affect this species. Just watch out for slugs and snails, the same as you would with your dahlias. Maintenance is minimal, and cranesbill geraniums shouldn't be deadheaded; this leaves you more time to pinch back dahlias, which is necessary if you want them to bloom again. 

As a bonus, you can grow wild geraniums as a flowering ground cover to attract hummingbirds. There are some outstanding varieties available that you might like to consider. 'Album' is a cultivar that has white flowers, while 'Elizabeth Ann' has lovely bronze-colored foliage and lavender blooms. There's also 'Espresso,' which has outstanding red-brown leaves and delicate pale pink flowers. Finally, if you've now fallen in love with this pretty and versatile plant, you might be interested to know that it's one of the numerous stunning ground covers that grow perfectly with hostas.