Geranium wallichianum Magical All Summer Delight

The Magical All Summer Delight Perennial Geranium is a recent variety that stands out for the duration and abundance of its flowering, uninterrupted from late spring to autumn. On a low, wide, bushy vegetation of fresh green, a multitude of flowers in bright pink cups with a white striped center contrast beautifully. It forms a pretty ground cover with little care required, in full sun or partial shade. Hardy, very floriferous, tolerant, it only fears dry or excessively waterlogged soils, especially in winter.

The Magical 'All Summer Delight' Geranium belongs to the Geraniaceae family. This selection comes from a wild Himalayan species called Geranium wallichianum, found from Afghanistan to India. In nature, this geranium grows up to about 3600 m (11811ft) altitude, on slopes, in forests and among shrubbery hedges. 'All Summer Delight' has a low, dense, wide dome-like habit, reaching about 30-40 cm (12-16in) in height, with a spread of at least 50 cm (20in), sometimes much more depending on conditions. This geranium has a particularly long flowering period, from June to October-November, depending on the climate. The cup-shaped flowers measure 3 cm (1in) in diameter and are adorned with a bright shade of pink, with veins of a deeper pink that dive into an almost white throat. The foliage is deciduous in winter, finely cut and divided, with a medium green colour that sometimes turns red in autumn. The leaves are deeply lobed, puckered, with toothed edges. This perennial sends out highly branched creeping stems from its stump, lying slightly on the ground without rooting. It has a fairly specific root system, with a central and single stump (taproot), with a few large fibrous secondary roots. Once established, the plant does not like to be moved.

The Magical All Summer Delight Wallichianum Geranium is ideal for bordering pathways or flower beds. In partially shaded areas, it will thrive alongside Campanula 'Burghaltii' and Pulmonaria 'Diane Claire' with their beautiful silver foliage. It can also be planted above a wall, in a semi-shaded rockery where it will lean against the shade and face the sun, among corydalis, Chiastophyllum oppositifolium or Chrysogonum virginianum. It likes to creep under low branches of bushes, where it is never suffocating, except for weeds.