With it's origins in the meadows of the UK and Europe to Asia this clump forming species and its many forms and hybrids are ideal for borders and naturalising.
Geranium pratense is a clump former, making dense clumps of shoots from which you get a large clump of relatively finely cut leaves on fairly long stems giving a substantial mound of foliage to as much as 60cm. The flower stems ascend to 90cm-1.2m in early to mid-summer making Geranium pratense one of the biggest species of cranesbill. Fortunately many selections and most hybrids are quite a bit smaller! The reason for the large size is that it's natural habitat is, as the common name of meadow cranesbill suggests, meadows which tend to be full of equally tall grasses and other herbaceous plants. This does make meadow cranebill ideal if you are looking for a Geranium to naturalise in grassland.
There are lots of named forms of Geranium pratense now and they vary quite dramatically from the wild type. Flowers can be anything from white, pinkish or blues to deep purple (clear blue is normal), single or double. The leaves also display variation, being green, brown-purple or golden variegated.
Many hybrids of Geranium pratense (and similar types) are included in this section and most of these have the benefits of being more compact than the species and especially, of having a much longer flowering season.
AGM A mound of large pale blue flowers veined crimson. 45cm. Flowering June-August onwards. Reasonable soil in open or sunny position. Unique colour for a long flowering plant.
AGM This brilliant hybrid from Cambridge Botanic Garden has intense blue flowers with white centres from May to July and September onwards. Open position in average soil. 60cm x 90cm. Named after a street in Cambridge.
One of Alan Bremner's most attractive hybrids (G. pratense x G. collinum) with clouds of pale blue flowers with violet veins from May to November. Upright habit to 80cm, good soil in sun.
Like 'Brookside' but with darker blue flowers, 5cm across. The stuff of myth! Average soil in sun, 70cm. Summer with good repeat and super foliage colour in autumn.
The native Meadow Cranesbill, clump forming herbaceous perennial with strong stems of largish flowers in shades of blue, white or pink to 1m or more. Sun, drained but good soil.
Beautiful, large white flowers with no hint of colour except the pale yellow stamens held on good stems over clumps of large, deeply divided leaves. Ordinary soil in sun. 90cm.
