Geranium phaeum commonly has dark blooms as its folk name, dusky cranesbill, implies and the dark splashed foliage that can be glimpsed in the foreground. Jazzier varieties include Geranium phaeum ‘Alec’s Pink’, Geranium phaeum ‘Kora’ and Geranium phaeum ‘Lavender Pinwheel’ – this looks like a mix of all three. I photographed it under the close direction of John Bent in his private garden, Weeping Ash, a few years ago.
I’d have linked to Bents’ Garden Centre’s website, but they aren’t listing any. Instead I turned to Claire Austin, daughter of the late David Austin, and an expert on peonies, irises and perennials. You’ll find more about phaeums on her website.
I’m sharing this for Sunshine’s Macro Monday. I picked the most sunshiney one I could find, Irene, to contrast your Darth Vader!
Susan Rushton 
Beautifully done, Susan
Thanks, Derrick.
Charming photo
I’m glad you think so!
😎
Lovely flowers, they remind me of little fairies flying upwards 🙂
❤
I was tempted to include this in the fairy post – I’m glad you can see why!
A beautiful image and contrast to Darth Vader. indeed!
And these have their own little light sabres, though you can’t see them too well here.
They are beautiful and cool looking.
Another demure plant that is easy to overlook – although this one, a little less so than the dark flowered ones.
Eunice said it best! Fairies flying.
Or perhaps a fairy’s team of horses.
Yes!
Now I have the Darth Vader theme stuck in my head. Nonetheless, I am smitten by this flower. The backlighting makes the petals so much more winglike; it’s a lovely portrait!
I could wish the picture a little more this or a little more that, but on the whole it’s better to be pleased with what we’ve got.
I don’t have any phaeums, but they are lovely. I have found a good site for hardy geraniums so I might be tempted 🙄
There are so many good hardy geraniums, you’ll be spoilt for choice.
I have quite a lot already, many are self-sown and I have to keep removing them.
Nice portrait of those pretty flowers. The type growing in my high desert yard is my worst weed. It spreads like crazy!
Some might say you should be so lucky, although the ones selected out for their flowers or foliage do make more attractive garden plants.
A stunning flower and nicely captured!
My iPhone has made it good and sparkly. 🙂
Oh, gorgeous! I love Geranium phaeum and had no idea there are paler ones like this. Thanks for sharing!
There seem to be a lot of geranium hybridisers around. It may be that the geraniums cross themselves and gardeners are picking out any unusual ones they see.
Mine have hybridized. I had a very dark one with dark brown leaves and a paler leafed one. They crossed and now have mottled leaves!
I’m a big fan of the blue and purple hardy Geranium. I think my particular favorite is ‘Johnson’s Blue’, though I’m being swayed by ‘Brookside’. I’d also like to give ‘Samobar’ a try.
I like all three you mention. One of my favourites is Geranium magnificum. That one seems to escape from cottage gardens, but never goes far, just sits outside the stone wall, waiting to be recaptured like a dog that likes to be free but can find no good reason to stray.