Cranesbill 'Ann Folkard'

Questions about cranesbill 'Ann Folkard'

Does cranesbill 'Ann Folkard' need sun or shade?

Cranesbill 'Ann Folkard' grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day) and part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and a good soak in dry spells.

What zones does cranesbill 'Ann Folkard' grow in?

USDA zones 5 to 8. It is hardy to zone 5, which means it survives winter nights down to about −10 °F (−23 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does cranesbill 'Ann Folkard' flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers early June to mid September. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should cranesbill 'Ann Folkard' be planted?

3 ft (90 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 4 ft (120 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 18 in (45 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many cranesbill 'Ann Folkard' plants do I need?

At 3 ft apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 1 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 4 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 4 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as one at a time, threaded between sturdier plants.

In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.

Is there a native plant like cranesbill 'Ann Folkard'?

Cranesbill 'Ann Folkard' is not native to North America. These North American natives come closest to doing its job:

• Harebell: the same job in a bed; 6 in shorter, 2½ ft narrower.
• Burnet 'Tanna': the same job in a bed; 20 in narrower, flowers early July to early September.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

What flowers after cranesbill 'Ann Folkard'?

Cranesbill 'Ann Folkard' is over by mid September. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Garden chrysanthemum: from mid September to late October, 24 in tall.
• October daphne: from mid September to late October, 8 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Meadow saffron: from mid September to mid October, 6 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.

What does cranesbill 'Ann Folkard' look like in winter?

Cranesbill 'Ann Folkard' dies down to the ground and there is nothing to see until spring. The old stems can be cut in autumn, or left until spring as shelter for overwintering insects.