| Every bloom on this Stork's Bill looks as dainty as a butterfly, but is actually quite garden-tough and boldly colored. Against a pure white background, the plum-purple splashes really stand out -- and you get to enjoy them twice a year! 'Sweetheart' is a very free-flowering Erodium, with a heavy bloom in spring and then again in fall. In summer it may toss up an occasional flower just to keep you guessing, but it generally rests during the worst summer heat, marshalling its strength for another show. The large, healthy foliage is handsome all by itself, looking a lot like a Pelargonium (to which it is closely related!). An uncommon plant in American gardens, it's lovely and distinctive. Expect 'Sweetheart' to reach about a foot high and twice as wide. The foliage is quite pleasingly fragrant when you rub it between finger and thumb -- sort of a high-summer medow scent that you have to experience for yourself. You can grow this plant as a groundcover, let it wander between others in the sunny to partly shaded border, or allow it to trail over the sides of flowerpots. Hardy in zones 7 through 9 and grown as an annual elsewhere, it is a delightful and novel addition to any garden. Pkt is 10 seeds. |
