Scented-leaved pelargoniums, often called scented geraniums, are grown as much for their leaves as their flowers. Brush past one, or rub a leaf between your fingers, and it releases its fragrance: rose, lemon, peppermint, orange, spice or resin. They have been at the heart of Fibrex for generations. Hazel Key began the collection here in 1958, and it went on to become the National Collection of scented-leaved pelargoniums.
Choosing by scent
Tap a scent to see every variety in that group.
Where to grow them
Place them where you'll touch them: by a door, along a path, on a windowsill or a greenhouse bench. They grow happily in pots and containers outdoors from late spring to early autumn, and indoors on a bright windowsill or in a conservatory year-round.
Growing scented pelargoniums
Give them bright light and a free-draining compost, and water once the surface has dried. From February, feed with an organic seaweed feed or tomato feed, then switch to a high-potash feed from June to extend the flowering season. Pinch out the growing tips to keep plants bushy. Scented pelargoniums are tender, so bring them in before the first frost and keep them somewhere frost-free over winter.
Using the leaves
Many scented-leaf pelargoniums have long been used in the kitchen. Rose-scented leaves can flavour sugar, syrups and sponge cakes, and lemon-scented leaves add a fresh note to drinks.
Please note there is a minimum order of 3 plants. All mail-order pelargoniums are grown and sent out in 6cm biodegradable fibre pots, which can be planted straight into compost without removing them. Roots grow naturally through the pot as it breaks down over time.
