Geranium nodosum ‘Fielding's Folly’

Knotted Crane’s Bill Geraniaceae

A wonderfully useful and rather mischievous form of Knotted Cranesbill, producing a succession of rich violet-purple flowers above handsome, glossy, deeply lobed foliage from late spring well into autumn. Particularly valuable for light or dry shade, where many flowering perennials become decidedly less enthusiastic, it also performs beautifully in sun. The plant has an unusually interesting horticultural history: selected and originally named by John Fielding, the name ‘Fielding’s Folly’ apparently reflecting its remarkable propensity to self-sow — a habit it pursues with considerable enthusiasm. It was subsequently rediscovered growing at Mead Nursery, Brokerswood, Wiltshire, by plantswoman Joan Taylor, who helped bring it to wider attention. Derry Watkins of Special Plants later showcased it at RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2024, where it attracted considerable interest. A superb naturalistic plant, particularly beneath shrubs and trees, where its long flowering season and willingness to seed into suitable gaps are both virtues.

Cultivar origin: Selected and originally named by John Fielding; subsequently rediscovered at Mead Nursery, Brokerswood, Wiltshire, by Joan Taylor, and later showcased by Derry Watkins of Special Plants at RHS Chelsea 2024.
Flowering: May–September
Hardiness: H5, approximately −15 to −10°C
Height: 30–40 cm
Spread: 50–80 cm