Geranium versicolor

The Geranium versicolor, sometimes called the Crane's Beak or Striated Geranium, is a species that stands out for its originality and delicacy of its white flowers with pale pink, finely veined with magenta. Its spreading habit makes it a good ground cover for the base of hedges, roses or the foreground of flower beds.

Flowering, generous, easy to grow, perennial geraniums have everything to please. Especially since, unlike Balcony Geraniums (which are actually Pelargoniums) with which they are sometimes confused, they are perfectly hardy, at least down to -15°C (5°F), and therefore remain in the ground throughout the winter.

Native to Italy and the Balkans and belonging to the Geranium family, the Geranium versicolor has a spreading habit, with an average height of 30 cm (12in) and a width of 60 cm (24in). Its flowers, white and finely veined with magenta, bloom from May to September.

Easy to grow and not very demanding, you can plant it in full sun or partial shade, ideally in humus-rich soil, moist or even wet but not excessively.

In the garden, perennial geraniums can be planted almost anywhere: in rockeries, in a woodland setting with Ferns, near Roses which they elegantly dress the base, as a border plant with other varieties such as the Perennial Geranium pratense Plenum album, and even in pots.