Container gardening in a pelargonium tree! Marja turned an old stump into a showstopping summer flower display
An old stump found a whole new life when Finnish Marja decided to transform it into a blooming “tree” using trailing pelargoniums.
1. How did you come up with the idea for this delightful “pelargonium tree”?
We live in Masku, southwest Finland, on a one-hectare lot surrounded by fields. I like to set out eye-catching summer flower arrangements to distract from the corners of the yard that aren’t as well tended. The stump for the pelargonium tree was once a magnificent willow, cut down ten years ago when it was deemed a nuisance tree. It then got a second life as a flower stump. We sawed it fully off the ground, so it can be moved around. Now it sits in partial shade under a large birch. We haven’t treated it in any way.
2. How did you actually put the tree together?
The stump has five branch stubs where I attached plastic pots a bit larger than those that came with the hanging baskets. For drainage, I placed a few clay pot shards at the bottom. I used summer flower soil. In past years, I planted million bells or surfinia, but strong winds often broke their stems. At a garden center, I spotted some vibrant pelargoniums that inspired me. I bought five trailing pelargonium baskets and planted them on the stump.
A trailing pelargonium has proven to be a very rewarding bloomer. As long as you remove the wilted flowers, it will remain in magnificent bloom well into autumn until the frosts set in.
3. How do you take care of your summer flower arrangement?
I add some liquid fertilizer to the watering can. A trailing pelargonium is an incredibly rewarding bloomer: as long as you remove any wilted flowers, it keeps its beautiful bloom going into autumn until frost arrives. It’s unfazed by wind, rain, heat, or cold. For a slightly lazy gardener like me, it’s a perfect choice.
4. What is the rest of your garden like?
Our garden has some natural rock outcrops, where I’ve planted rockery species in a few crevices. I water all the thirsty plants with water from the pond. There’s also a floating planter in the pond, and the perpetually thirsty hydrangea that lives there has endless water access directly from the pond.
