Last May I was filming in the floral marquee at the Malvern flower show. The aim was to surprise the nurseryman and grower Roger Proud, of the Cumbria-based East of Eden nurseries, and talk to him about his fab range of geums. I did the classic surprise walk-up from a distance … he would suspect nothing … but he wasn’t there! He’d nipped off to grab a cup of coffee.
There was a decent queue of people holding plants and waiting to pay. Sadly I didn’t know how to use Proud’s contactless machine but I managed to stall the shoppers by immediately turning into a second-hand car salesman (it’s in my locker), waxing lyrical about the qualities of geums and what a great price they were. Pretty soon, the queue had doubled in size. I like to think that was down to me but it was probably the draw of the cameras, with punters trying to get in the back of shot, as they do. Proud finally returned to a huge round of applause — it was great fun.
Geums (commonly known as avens) are an easy sell. They are short, hardy perennials in the rose family, bearing open, honest, cheery flowers. The most popular are orange or red but, thanks to specialist growers such as Proud, there is now a huge range to choose from, including soft yellows, apricots and pinks. They are promiscuous plants, crossbreeding and self-seeding around, making the ideal ground cover as their creased foliage suppresses weeds well.
There is a huge range of geums to choose from
MARIANNE MAJERUS
Geums are a Chelsea Flower Show favourite. They flower at the right time and are sociable — happiest with companionship. The orange and red ones sing out against the complementary colours of purples (plants such as Salvia ‘Caradonna’, Verbena rigida and alliums) and blues (such as Geranium ‘Johnson’s Blue’ and cat mint), as well as picking up nicely with the coppery tones of some grasses. The softer varieties (‘Mai Tai’ and ‘Cream Crackers’) are less demanding and easy to weave between just about anything.
Geums mainly flower in May and June, and many will put on a flush later in the year, in August or September, if deadheaded, so they are great value. They are mostly semi-evergreen, holding on to their foliage unless it’s an exceptionally cold winter, when they’ll behave like most herbaceous plants by dying back in winter and coming back in spring.
Thinking of getting some? For a geum salesman (card machine in hand), as well as many a gardener, here’s the killer USP: their hairy leaves mean they are pretty much slug, snail, rabbit and deer-proof … ah, gotcha!
• The best fast-growing climbing plants and garden structures
Planting and care
Geums are easy to grow, thriving in sun or dappled shade as long as there’s moisture in the ground — so incorporate plenty of organic matter when planting. Avoid poor, stony baked soils. Geums are rhizomatous plants, which means they split easily. Lift and divide every three or four years, in autumn or spring, to avoid them becoming woody and unproductive.
Deadhead the spent flowers and they’ll produce new ones. And cut back those semi-evergreen leaves in late winter when they look shabby. Watch out for vine weevil when grown in pots — combat these by watering with a nematode solution (a biological control).
My top 10 geums 
G. ‘Borisii’
Compact form with bright orange-red single flowers ideal for front of border. Needs plenty of sun. Height and spread 30cm.
GAP PHOTOS/MANDY BRADSHAW
G. ‘Roger Proud’
Yup, named after the man himself. Double peachy-pink flowers with a red flush. Reliable repeat flower with second flush in the autumn. Height 40cm x spread 45cm.
G. Poco
Clear yellow flowers on pinky-purple arching stems. Long flowering sometimes from May through to October. Height and spread 50cm.
G ‘Totally Tangerine’
Launched by Rosy Hardy (hardysplants.co.uk) at Chelsea 2010 and spotted every year since. A fine citrus orange colour. Height 90cm x spread 60cm.
GAP PHOTOS/ELKE BORKOWSKI
G. ‘Dawn’
Early into flower around April and just keeps going. The double flowers are yellow on the outside with soft orange centres. Height and spread approx. 45cm.
G. ‘Mai Tai’
I use this a lot as it seems to blend in nicely with just about everything. Red stems and apricot flowers with a pink flush. Lush green foliage. Height 45cm x spread 40cm.
G ‘Prinses Juliana’
Bright orange form with flowers held on wiry stems above the foliage. Height and spread 60cm.
G. ‘Mrs J Bradshaw’
Semi double bright scarlet flowers. A tall one that will freely seed around. Height and spread 60cm.
G. ‘Pink frills’
Name says it all. Diminutive with pale pink notched petals. Height 30cm x spread 20cm.
G ‘Mango Lassi’
Soft yellow centres, with pink and red outer edges to the petals. Lovely dark stems to set them off. Height 25cm x spread 30cm.