Meadow Geranium

How to grow Meadow Geranium

Written by the GardenDecoded editorial team · Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Written for UK gardens · How we research our guidance

Planting

Plant in autumn or spring in sun or light shade; it grows in most soils and is happy on chalk. It suits a meadow area, a wilder border or the middle of a mixed planting. Space about 50 cm apart.

Pruning

Cut the whole plant back hard to the ground once the first flush of flowers is over and the foliage begins to sprawl, usually July. New leaves regrow within a few weeks and a second, lighter flush of flowers often follows.

Propagation

Divide in spring or autumn. It also self-seeds freely, sometimes more freely than you want, and seedlings from double or named forms will not match the parent.

Pests and diseases

Generally robust. Powdery mildew on old foliage in late summer, and occasional sawfly damage to the leaves.

Value to wildlife

Bees work the flowers heavily through midsummer, and it is a good component of a meadow-style planting alongside grasses.

Notes

The plant flops after flowering, which is normal rather than a fault. The midsummer cut-back is the single job that keeps it looking deliberate rather than collapsed.

This guidance was researched and written by GardenDecoded — see our editorial policy for how guides are checked and reviewed.

Other names for this plant

These names have all been used for Geranium pratense but are no longer the accepted name. You may still meet them on old labels, in books, or in nursery catalogues.

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