Planting tulips, daffs and hardy geranium together

I have a boulevard/terrace that I want to plant in spring bulbs. I would like to use hardy geranium/cranesbill as a ground cover so I don't have to mow that area but I am afraid the geraniums will starve the bulbs of light and nutrition. Has anyone tried this or does anyone have any thoughts?

What a lovely idea!

I grow all three (not in such an inspired way) and established a lot of hardy geraniums. In my experience, they aren't hogs, and mine have never grown tall enough to block the light. And remember, bulbs bring their own lunch in the form of stored up energy. As long as you plant them with bulb food, they should be fine. I usually give them a light fertilizer then, on emergence and at the end of the season (very light). If you want to be absolutely certain, you can do that too, but I don't think it's really necessary.

Donna

Thanks. I think you are right. The tulips, daffs etc should get high enough above the geraniums to send enough nutrition to the bulb for the next year. I send that order in. lol

I think they will look lovely! I'm going to have to be a copy cat! I have a raised bed that is quite long, along the side of the house that I was thinking about using cranesbill in, and the added touch of tulips and daffs would make it just lovely!

which leads me to ask - are the cranesbill easy to take cuttings of and propagate? If so, I'll go do it right now and get them started, as I haven't even put them in the area I have in mind for them, yet.......

Cranesbill is a piece of cake to simply divide. I brought several to my new yard, and when you dig them up they have a slight tendency to fall apart and split into groups. I was planning to take cuttings but this is so much faster, and each cranesbill is now three plants. And the divisions had a 100% survival rate.

Really cool!

Sorry I haven't been back on here. Karrie, as Donna said cranesbill is very easy. It doesn't take much to start a new plant. I usually dig up a 6-8 inch clump and get probably 20 starts out of it, maybe more. It spreads fast but isn't agressive. I just read in a gardening mag that plumbago is a really nice ground cover with bulbs but I had never even heard of it. Anybody know anything about it? Karrie, did you get the planting done? I planted about 1/3 of the boulevard and ran out of time. Maybe more later.

then dividing it will be! thanks!

Can't wait to see pics!

I just wanted to mention that the x cantabrigiense types of geranium are wonderful to use at the foot of any plant. They spread wonderfully, but not invasively and don't crowd plants or bulbs out. These are geraniums like Biokovo, St. Ola, etc.

I adore biokovo. I put it at the feet of rose Zephirine Drouhin at my old house. I have ordered a new Zeph so I can do it again!.