ERODIUM. Crane’s bill. Europe, Asia, Africa. These geranium allies include some noxious weeds, many rather plain plants and several really showy ornamentals. The latter come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, their common features including attractively lobed or dissected leaves and generally small, geranium-like blossoms. The following are suitable for rock gardens and containers, delighting in a sunny spot, with well drained soil and moderate to occasional watering. Hardiness varies as shown.

chamaedryoides. A matting perennial with small, crinkled, dark green leaves, sprinkled much of the year with 1/2" blossoms. A selection received from nursery friend Larry MacDougald was dubbed ‘Double Pink’ for lack of a better name. It has double blossoms painted bright lavender pink. I also selected a much darker sport or seedling of this selection, giving it the name ‘Dark Eyes’. A more recent selection, similarly colored but with larger, single flowers, is ‘Bishop’s Form’. Last is the larger white flowered selection, ‘Album’. Hardy to around 15^oF.

chrysanthum. Strikingly different from the last, this species features tightly clustered crowns of silvery, narrowly dissected leaves. These form a lovely background for sprays of large, soft yellow blossoms. Our plants are seldom out of bloom. Probably 10^oF or less.