Astrantia major 'Roma'

Astrantia 'Roma' is a variety of particularly floriferous hybrid Astrantia, offering lovely flowers in two shades of pink: their bracts are a pale and fresh pink, surrounding a small heart of a brighter pink. Precise design and very bright pastel color give the inflorescences the appearance of jewelry paved with gemstones. A hardy perennial, it blooms all summer in ordinary garden soil, remaining fresh and adding an elegant and rustic touch to sunny or semi-shaded borders. It is also a good flower for dried or fresh bouquets.

'Roma' is a horticultural hybrid probably resulting from the cross-breeding between Astrantia major, which gave it the shape of its flowers, and A. maxima, responsible for their very fresh pink colour. A. major is a herbaceous perennial plant native to central and eastern Europe, while its cousin with very large flowers A. maxima is widespread in the Caucasus. All these plants belong to the Apiaceae family (formerly known as Umbelliferae), just like carrots and celery.

In Astrantia 'Roma', the bushy and fairly loose habit serves the elegance of the flowering. The plant forms a tuft of 60cm (24in) in height when in bloom, 30cm (12in) for the foliage, and 45cm (18in) wide. The foliage is dense, composed of palmate deciduous leaves, with 5 deep lobes, lanceolate, dentate, green and strongly veined. The umbel inflorescences appear from June to August-September, at the end of very stiff stems. They are composed of dozens of tiny pale pink flowers, gathered in a plateau, surrounded by a collar of large pearly bracts, in a pastel pink. The centre of the inflorescence is a darker pink.

Easy to grow, Astrantia major 'Roma' thrives in light, moist, and well-drained soil in a sunny or semi-shaded, even full shade position in warm climates. It will bloom generously along an east or north-facing wall, with hydrangeas for example. This plant, very popular in contemporary gardens, requires little maintenance and thrives even where the garden is not maintained. It pairs wonderfully with the pastel colors of Gillenia, foxgloves, paniculate phlox, annual poppies, columbines, lungworts... Combine it with perennials and roses in any style of garden: modern, natural, or romantic. It is also a cut flower with exceptional vase life. Just avoid too much exposure to heat (midday sun) if your soil is a bit dry. It self-seeds quite easily and blooms for a long time. It will create sumptuous borders in any moist and rich soil.

Tip: Combine several varieties to create a beautiful palette of colours.