Bill Wallis

While not native to Britain, I'm firmly of the opinion that any hedgerow or verge is enhanced by the presence of a bit of Hedgerow Crane's-bill (Geranium pyrenaicum). The typical plant has flowers purplish-pink in colour, but white-flowered plants (f. albiflorum) and colonies are not infrequent and breed true even when present with other colour forms. I have both forms in my garden (along with the large-flowered 'Isparta') and while rare intermediates are found, all have maintained themselves for nearly a decade suggesting that a lot of seed set is through self-pollination.

Much more notable in the wild is the form known by the cultivar name 'Bill Wallis', this has striking blue-purple flowers with a prominent contrasting white eye.

It is a form I only know from one location, and even in cultivation it is perhaps not common (a quick trawl of the internet will demonstrate how regularly this cultivar is confused with the typical form). There are only a handful of records in the BSBI database for this plant.

Yesterday provided a good opportunity to catch this cultivar in peak bloom at Woodlesford Lock (VC63), where it has persisted in rough grassland for several years. Indeed it seems to have increased year on year.