Cranesbill Orion

A chance seedling of Geranium Brookside, with meadow geranium ancestry as well, the brilliant cultivar Orion has masses of very deep violet-blue, almost indigo, saucer-
shaped, 2”/5cm flowers with purple-maroon veins and a small greenish-white ‘eye’; the flowers are particularly luminous in morning and evening light. It is a sterile hybrid, and flowers from May until well into autumn. The leaves are deeply cut and mid-green,
turning reddish in autumn, and the flowers are held well clear of the foliage. It likes an
open position, in full sun, as it grows lax and floppy in shade. Orion looks particularly
lovely with lemon-yellow flowers, creamy-buff or apricot roses (into which it will climb)
and lavenders that pick up on its deep violet-blue colour. Another with a small crown, it’s good for covering the dying leaves of early spring bulbs. Cut back in July after the first flush of flowers, and leaves will appear within days, and then yet more flowers. Divide in spring. It holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Attractive to pollinators.

Site: Tolerates exposure
Soil: Any well-drained soil
Position: Best in full sun
Season of interest: Spring to autumn, summer in particular
Hardiness: Very hardy
Height: 3ft (1m) Spread: 3ft (1m)