Geranium Lea

The 'Lea' perennial Geranium is a new and very rare variety in cultivation, offering remarkable flowering with its bright blue colour and long duration. Not very tall, but bushy, this geranium produces gentian blue flowers with a small white centre from May to July. They bloom above beautiful palmate foliage with a slightly glossy green colour. Hardy, generous, and tolerant, it can be easily grown in full sun or partial shade, in ordinary garden soil.

The 'Lea' Geranium belongs to the Geraniaceae family. This plant is the result of cross-breeding between several species and varieties of hardy perennial geraniums. 'Lea' has a dense and compact habit, reaching a height of about 30 cm (12in), with a spread of at least 40 cm (16in) under suitable conditions. The flowering of this geranium is long, from May to July, if the soil remains slightly moist. The cup-shaped flowers measure 2-3 cm (1in) in diameter and are a very bright, almost pure blue. The centre is adorned with a small, very luminous white halo. The foliage is quite ornamental, deeply lobed, and of a fairly dark and glossy green colour. The above-ground vegetation is deciduous and disappears in winter.  

The 'Lea' perennial Geranium is ideal for bordering flowerbeds in romantic or natural gardens. In partially shaded areas it will thrive alongside Campanula 'Burghaltii' and Pulmonaria 'Diane Claire' with its beautiful silver foliage. It can also be planted near roses or shrubs with spring or summer flowering (e.g. dwarf lilacs, Japanese spireas, weigelas). It is always successful when combined with foxgloves or ornamental garlic.