Climbing geraniums?

sparrer

I saw a 'climbing geranium' while on holiday in Kent last year but my garden centre says there's no such thing, it's just an overgrown one. As it was over 6 feet high with a sturdy trunk and several branches supported on the front wall of a house by wires, I doubted what they said but does anyone know if it's so, and if it's genuine where I can find one and how easy would it be to grow?
Thank you, Sparrer

relay

Under the right conditions if it's sheltered enough Geraniums can grow into a rather large 'shrubby' plant. An old neighbour had one in her front garden against the house that was around 4 feet tall.

It's not technically 'climbing' & is just an everyday geranium that has found perfect enough conditions to grow taller than normal. Things like that happen all the time on the channel islands where they don't get frost.

peter_the_piper

If you want to try something different try growing a trailing pelargonium along wires/trellis in a conservatory. It can last many years and get quite large, I've seen one over 10ft in a pelargonium stock house once.

Davesnave

I have an old fashioned oak leved pelargonium which overwinters against the wall of my house. It can be cut down by frost, or if not, it is cut by me in late spring to stop it getting too leggy, but I guess if it had just a little more protection - say a layer of fleece - what you saw would be possible. It makes quite a 'woody' trunk each year.

sparrer

Thank you for all your replies. I don't live in the Channel Islands, nor have a conservatory but I do have a very sunny wall against which I was looking to grow something and this looked quite stunning. I'll give the pelargonium a try
Thank you again. Sparrer

alanobrien

Climbing geraniums have been around for years, i recall seeing them as a child myself
and i am way over 21
Here's a picture of a 20+ year old one at Dunbeath Castle

http://www.caithness.org/caithness/castles/photogallery/index.php?gallery=7&image=2

and a link to a nursury that sells them there are many more !
http://www.geraniumsuk.com/default.aspx?t=plant&qry=suitability&id=7&name=Climbing+Geraniums

A._Badger

I'm afraid the nursery is wrong. There are climbing geraniums and here's a nursery that sells them. http://www.geraniumsuk.com/ (I'm not connected with them, BTW).

A._Badger

Oops! Sorry about the duplicate link, alanobrien!

relay

I don't agree that they are 'climbing' in the real sense of the word, they are just larger plants that get bigger than the common hybrids. They probably use the term 'climbing' as a marketing tool.

From this image you can see quite clearly that it doesn't have any true climbing characteristics whatsoever - it's just large & shrubby. This is exactly the one my old neighbour had and it certainly wasn't a true climber.



From 'Geranium uk' -

These are ideal for growing in a conservatory up a trellis or outside on the patio, or in the greenhouse they have vigorous growth and will spread quickly and flower like mad. They are not strictly ‘climbing’ but they grow long, slender stems and be easily attached to trellis or supports as they grow we’ve had great success in covering our own plain conservatory wall with these. It wont happen overnight but the results are certainly worth it!

sparrer

I'll certainly contact the above nursery, even if it doesn't climb to the height of the one I saw this will look beautiful against my bare wall.
Many thanks
Sparrer