Geranium sanguineum Vision Violet

The seeds of Bloody Cranesbill or Geranium sanguineum 'Vision Violet' provide abundant and easy, soft and luminous flowering in the garden from May to October. The small flowers are pinkish-purple, adorned with purple veins above semi-evergreen, finely cut foliage, which turns a reddish-orange in autumn. These easy-to-grow, hardy plants can be used as ground cover in rockeries, borders, and containers.

The perennial Geranium belongs to the Geraniaceae family. The 'Vision Violet' selection comes from Geranium sanguineum, native to Europe and Turkey. Growing quite slowly, 'Vision Violet' forms a spreading clump of 25 to 30 cm in height, sometimes more, and slowly spreads by its rhizomes in a carpet of 40 cm in diameter or even more. Its beautiful flowers bloom from May to July, then again in autumn. The fruits are extended by a long beak, resembling a crane's beak (hence its name). The foliage is semi-evergreen, turning various shades of red in autumn and winter. Its leaves are deeply cut, hairy, and measure from 5 to 10 cm in length.

Bloody Cranesbill, often found growing wild on rocky soils, proves to be surprisingly versatile in the garden, adapting to all types of soils and exposures. It is particularly valuable at the edge of woodlands, where competition from shrub roots does not affect it. It also thrives in sunny rockeries, on wild slopes, or in dry shady woodlands, accompanied by Epimedium, periwinkles, or dead nettles. This geranium also fits in wall crevices, adding a natural and colourful touch. It is easy to grow and readily self-seeds, although sometimes in a slightly variable manner, among other ground cover perennials like thyme, Caucasian Rockcress, or woolly wormwood, thus enriching the plant compositions of a garden.