Geranium wallichianum Rise and Shine

The Perennial Geranium wallichianum 'Rise and Shine' is an exceptionally floriferous variety, worthy descendant of the variety 'Rozanne'. With an even more vibrant flowering, whose shades change according to the brightness, this recent creation is full of liveliness and charm. Its large flowers are almost bicolor, blue-mauve in summer, bluish-purple pink at the end of the season, deeply veined with purple, invariably illuminated by a large central white halo punctuated with black stamens. They bloom from July until the first frost, above a beautiful foliage that reddens with the cold. Its long trailing stems carpet the ground, in the sun or in partial shade. Hardy, very generous, very tolerant, it only fears waterlogged soils in winter.

The Geranium wallichianum 'Rise and Shine' belongs to the Geraniaceae family. Its name could be translated as 'Rise and Shine', a perfect summary of what is unique about this variety. This plant comes from Geranium wallichianum, a sturdy Himalayan wild species (found from Afghanistan to India). 'Rise and Shine' has a dense and very carpeting habit, reaching 40 cm (16in) in height, with a minimum spread of 60 cm (24in), sometimes 1.20 m (4ft) if the conditions are right. The flowering of this geranium is particularly long, from July to November. The cup-shaped flowers measure 3 cm (1in) in diameter and are covered with purple veins ending in forks. The central part is inhabited by a large, very clear, brilliant white halo. When the plant receives the sun, in summer, the flowering is bluer, and the flowers fade to a more pink tone. Under the low light of autumn, they are almost purple, with a bluish reflection. The foliage is semi-evergreen, quite ornamental, deeply lobed, puckered, with serrated edges. This creeping perennial produces diffuse, 60 cm (24in) long, branched stems, lying on the ground, without rooting. It has a quite specific root system, with a central and unique stump (taproot), with a few large fibrous secondary roots.

The Perennial Geranium wallichianum 'Rise and Shine' is ideal for borders, in fresh rock gardens, in flower beds, but also planted in a pot where it will happily spill over. In semi-shaded areas, it will thrive alongside Campanula 'Burghaltii', Pulmonaria 'Diane Claire' with its lovely silver foliage. It can also be planted on top of a wall, in a semi-shaded rock garden where it will lean against the wall, with its roots in the shade and its head in the sun, among corydalis, Chiastophyllum oppositifolium or Chrysogonum virginianum. It likes to flow under low branches of bushes, where it is never suffocating, except for weeds.