Erodium Fran's Delight

This delightful plant arrived in the post in January 2019 from Potterton Nursery.  I had not grown it previously and probably it had been added to the order to make up numbers.  Since being planted that year in the gravel garden it has never failed to delight continuing in flower under autumn.  Here it is in May 2022.

Erodium Fran's Delight was raised by plantsman John Anton-Smith from Cheltenham and introduced in 1991, and named for one of his gardeners.

Perhaps it is the dead heading which encourages it continue flowering for so long.

Writing about this plant  in August 2022:

 "I'm not sure whether to be happy or fed up that this plant on the corner of the gravel garden just doesn't know when to stop flowering. I'm happy that it is the longest flowering plant in the garden, starting in the spring, and flowering until very late in the autumn. Erodium Fran's Delight never fails to please.

A weekly task of dead heading required attention before the sun creeped round. 

I dead headed early in the morning during the scorching days about once a week during the peak flowering period,  which leaves the plant tidier and ready for more flowers to be formed. Since this is from one week, it does give an indication of the ver floriferous nature of this erodium.

In September 2022 the plant was outgrowing its allocated space and was subjected to a drastic cut back.

 At the time I wondered whether it would survive.   I held my nerve and it did grow back.  

Before I attempted this, a made sure there was  a rooted cutting which was growing on well. 

I am delighted to say that this plant in its fourth year in the garden is summer ready even on this damp April day.