Lychnis coronaria Atrosanguinea

Lychnis coronaria Atrosanguinea, also known as rose campion, is a pretty wild and bushy perennial. Sometimes grown as a biennial due to its short lifespan, it self-seeds abundantly in light soil. With its attractive grey and velvety foliage, with white highlights, it comes alive throughout summer with small flowers of an exceptional carmine red, in a perfect chromatic harmony. Accustomed to rocky soils and difficult conditions, it is the queen of wild, romantic or even rocky gardens.

Lychnis coronaria belongs to the Caryophyllaceae family, native to southern Europe and western Asia. It is a tomentose-white perennial plant, with a woody stump, forming rosettes at the base. From the second year of cultivation, stems emerge from the rosette, reaching 40 to 80cm (16 to 32in) depending on the nature of the soil. They are sturdy, single or have dichotomous branching. The plant quickly forms a 45cm (18in) wide clump. The flowering takes place from June to September, in the form of bouquets of simple flat flowers with 5 petals, 4 to 5cm (2in) in diameter. The flowers are a cheerful magenta pink with long peduncles. Its leaves are oval-oblong, silver-grey, semi-evergreen and tomentose.

Plant the garden rose campion in groups, as a single plant can look slightly awkward. A beautiful display can be achieved with Lychnis coronaria 'Alba': the combination of vibrant magenta pink flowers, pure white flowers, and the silvery velvet foliage of both plants will be spectacular. Rose campions elegantly accompany old or English roses, and also thrive in front of evergreen shrubs such as the dark green Eleagnus ebbingei with its silver young shoots, shrubby wormwoods, and all grey or white foliage. Aromatic plants like sage, thyme, lavender, and rosemary, which require the same growing conditions, can accompany it in poor soils. This plant also makes very nice rustic bouquets.