Geums

gutties

I was thinking about geums and they seem like an unusual plant in that they look like weeds; hairy and arguably ugly plants.  Indeed one of the most recent threads on this forum talks about geum urbanum and how the OP was advised to get rid of it.

And then you have plants like Geum Totally Tangerine and Blazing Sunset that seem to be quite popular (indeed I bought both during the winter).  I'm sure there is no exact answer to this, but as a newbie gardener I'm wondering what is the dividing line that makes some geums worth £6, and sought after, for a small plant but others are seen as pure weeds.

Fire

One is considered by many to be an irritating weed and the other a cultivar in large oranges and reds. Many other plants are similar  - convolvulus, for example.

pitter-patter

All garden plants are related to wildflowers native to various countries. The dividing line is probably personal taste. I like the look of some wildflowers and encourage them in my garden.

In the case of geums, the wild one is rather invasive and has insignificant flowers. The cultivated variety has attractive flowers and has required a lot of effort and money to be developed.

gutties

Thanks both.  I guess I hadn't thought about the cultivar distinction.  I've got a lot to learn!

Lyn

I love my Mrs Bradshaw that Geurnsey donkey sent me, all seeds germinated and a lovely long flowering time.