Bloody cranesbill

Geranium sanguineum

Bloody cranesbill is a perennial for edging, groundcover, suited to full sun to partial shade and loam, sandy soil or chalk, flowering Jun, Jul, Aug.

Where to use it in a border

At around 30 cm, it sits best along the front edge, where a low, spreading habit reads best. Give it about 45 cm of room to spread, roughly 2 to the metre when planted in a drift. It is hardy across USDA zones 3a to 8b and rated H7 by the RHS, so check it suits your area before planting.

It appears in our lists of full sun, sandy soil, chalk soil, pollinator-friendly plants, pet-safe plants.

Border Builder uses Bloody cranesbill's height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.

Flowering through the year

Worth knowing

• Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.

Good companions

Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:

• American Wisteria 'Amethyst Falls'for height behind it
• Burnet 'Tanna'to flower when it does not
• Common Honeysucklefor height behind it
• Common Knapweedto flower when it does not
• Common mallowfor height behind it
• Coneflower 'Cheyenne Spirit'for height behind it

Garden styles

Cottage garden Native Wildlife garden