Geraniums for evergreen groundcover

We took a rare day off yesterday and went for a look round the National Trust site at Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire.  The one thing that really stuck in my mind in the garden was this lovely patch of Geranium macrorrhizum...

This really dense carpet is underneath a couple of big Ligustrum lucidum (Japanese Privet) on the west end of the Hall.  Although the exposed corner at the front is slightly scorched by the winter weather the bulk of it looks remarkably green and fresh compared to many other evergreen plants after this extended winter with it's persistant east wind.

Geranium macrorrhizum and it's hybrid Geranium x cantabrigiense both come in several different forms and make a fairly quick groundcover in sun or shade, even tolerating dryish soil quite well.  Not all forms of Geranium macrorrhizum are evergreen though so be sure to read the descriptions first!  Some of the recent introductions from Greece in particular are slower and deciduous.

I intend to write more about these useful plants in the future but for now have a look at them in the online catalogue for photos and descriptions.  We have a few new varieties under way too so keep an eye out during the spring and summer.