Geranium richardsonii

The Perennial Geranium richardsonii is a little-known, but robust and highly resistant botanical species from North America. It forms a spreading clump of large, deeply cut and palmate leaves in a bright green colour, and offers a bright flowering with small, open corollas in shades of violet, very pale pink or white, veined with wine-red, from early summer to autumn. It is a very hardy plant, suitable for use in a wild garden, in a rather moist and even chalky soil.

Perennial Geranium richardsonii belongs to the Geraniaceae family. This plant is native to western North America from Alaska to New Mexico, where it can be found in a number of habitats, especially mountains and forests. It is a sticky perennial herb, ranging in height from 20 to 80 centimeters (8 to 32 inches). The plant grows from a tough, woody taproot and older plants develop rhizomes. Its semi-evergreen leaves can reach up to 15 centimeters (6 inches) in width and are usually divided into five segments, each segment being further subdivided into small rounded or pointed lobes. Flowering occurs from May to September if the soil remains moist. Each flower has 5 pointed sepals hidden by 5 rounded petals, forming a corolla that is 2 to 3 cm (1in) wide. The color of the petals varies from satin white to violet, but they are always veined with purple or wine-red. 

Ideally, plant it in a shaded location or away from direct sunlight, in moist but well-drained soil, in wildflower beds or natural areas of the garden where it will eventually form a good ground cover. To accompany its flowering until the winter, it can be paired with 'Mönch' Aster, Jindai Tatarian Aster, or 'Moonbeam' Coreopsis, or other natural-looking plants such as variegated ivy or small grasses. It is also stunning for bordering a sunny path, in a fresh rockery, or at the base of clematis. It can even be grown in a large pot.