Quick Guide: summer, hardy, sun, height: 23cm/9in, width: 90cm/3ft

Geraniums, popularly known as cranesbills, comprise a large family of flowering plants, including some alpine species. All summer and into the autumn, they bear open, five-petalled flowers about 2.5cm/I in or more across, in shades of pink, crimson, blue and white. The leaves are rounded, sometimes deeply cut; the plants form large round clumps that look attractive in the summer border or any informal planting scheme.

GROWING Set out young plants between autumn and spring in any type of well-drained soil. Do not let them dry out in hot weather.

PROPAGATION Divide and replant established clumps in autumn or spring.

SPECIES G. endressii reaches 40cm/16in in height and spreads to 60cm/24in or more. Named varieties include `A.T. Johnson', silvery pink, and `Rose Clair', white edged purple. The hybrid G. x 'Claridge Druce', with deep mauve blooms, makes excellent ground cover. G. sanguineum (above) is low-growing, matforming, with magenta flowers; G. s. lancastrense is a great favourite with pale pink flowers veined with red.

POSSIBLE PROBLEMS Slugs may eat young plants.