This is definitely the star of the perennial geranium family producing flowers virtually non-stop from mid summer to early autumn. The flowers themselves are a delight, a gorgeous clear opal, or Nemophila blue with large white centres, against which the dark stamens and dark veining of the petals contrast beautifully. The plant forms an attractive clump with attractive wedge shaped, silky, deeply toothed leaves, making this a very garden worthy plant even when not in flower. It comes quite true from seed and has been given an Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society. Requirements: One of the easiest perennials to cultivate, happy in sun or light shade and any free draining garden soil.

Sowing Time: February to June or September to October. Sow seed in pots or trays of moist seed compost and cover with a very fine sprinkling of compost or vermiculite. After sowing, seal container inside a polythene bag and keep at 15-20C (60-68F). Germination can be slow, if there is no emergence within 8 weeks, then place container and bag into a refrigerator (not freezer) for 3 weeks, before returning to 15-20C.

Examine container regularly and carefully transplant individual seedlings when large enough to handle into 7.5cm (3in) pots or trays.

Pricking out (Transplanting); When the seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant them individually into 7.5cm (3 in) pots of a similar potting compost. Grow the plants on at 13-15C (55-60F) in good ventilation and light. Planting out; When well rooted into their pots stand them out in a cold Frame or outside in a shady, sheltered part of the garden to acclimatise them to outdoor conditions for around 10-15 days and then plant them into their flowering positions. They can be planted from spring to early autumn; summer sown plants which are not large enough to be planted out by autumn, should be left in a coldframe, or similar, for the winter and planted out the following spring. Plant singly or in groups, allowing 60cm (24in) between each plant and water them well after planting, particularly if the weather is hot or dry.

Apart from cutting back flowering stems as the flowers fade to encourage further flower production they require very little attention and can be left undisturbed for years. Hardiness: They are cold hardy and can be grown in the UK, Europe, N. America (zones 6-10), Japan and Australia, temperate and cold zone climates. They will tolerate heat but not heat and humidity.