scented-geranium-trios-specialty-resource
Brush against a leaf and imagine yourself in a rose garden in full bloom. Run your fingers against another and inhale a beguiling sweet lemon-rose fragrance or delicious minty chocolate scent. These evocative fragrances belong to our trios of scented geranium varieties whose leaves have tiny oil glands that mimic the perfumes of spices, fruits and flowers. Scented geranium leaves make aromatic flavorings for teas, jams and scones, cookies and cakes; simply air dried, they are perfect in potpourris and sachets. Tuck a few leaves of each variety in canisters of sugar or honey to infuse them with both scent and flavor.
Scented geranium plants (Pelargoniums) are non-fussy, drought tolerant tender perennials rarely bothered by insect pests or disease, and they are truly deer resistant plants. Planted along the border or walkway, their fragrances are released when passing by or brushing against them. Depending on variety, plants will grow 1 1/2 - 3 feet tall and about 2 feet wide. They look great in pots, or use them to fill and tumble from window boxes. Given enough light, scented geraniums also make lovely, easy care houseplants. With their colorful little lilac and pink flowers, diverse leaf forms and heavenly fragrances, scented geraniums are wonderful plants to enjoy both indoors and out.
Each trio is a sold as a set of 3 plants, all personally and painstakingly grown by our own trial garden manager. Plants are greenhouse propagated and then grown on outside in ample 3 1/2 inch shipping pots so they are sturdy and acclimated to outdoor conditions with well-formed roots before they ship to you. Each set of well-established varieties comes ready to plant and thrive in your garden or containers. Every order comes with complete planting and growing instructions.
Trios include 3 varieties each; not sold individually. Shipping is via USPS Priority Mail separately from seed packet orders at the right time for planting in your climate zone, March through May; see shipping chart. Note: We cannot ship to Hawaii or Canada. UPS second day shipping not available for geraniums.
Trio I: Chocolate and Roses
Chocolate Mint Scented Geranium (Pelargonium tomentosum) This tantalizing plant has handsome bicolored green and burgundy leaves and a fragrance that will remind you of a chocolate peppermint patty. Put several leaves in the filter basket when brewing coffee to add delicious subtle flavor to your morning cup. Small pale pink flowers when in bloom. Grows 2-3 feet tall.
Old Fashioned Rose Scented Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) Vigorous 2 foot tall plants with pretty little rose-pink flowers. The deeply cut leaves have an intense clear rose fragrance, so pure that it is traditionally used in France for perfume making, confectionary and jellies. In the kitchen, steep the leaves in milk or sugar to perfume cake, custards, meringues, cookies, scones or muffins. Also wonderful in sachets.
Intensely rose scented plants with 3 lobed leaves and clusters of pastel mauve-pink flowers. Blooming from early summer through autumn, 16-18 in. tall plants are ornamental in the garden and fine container or year-round house plants. Use leaves to flavor sugar (rose scented frosting!) for cookies, cakes, muffins or sprinkle over sliced strawberries, peaches or melon.
Trio II: Citrus
Orange Fizz Scented Geranium (Pelargonium hyb.)Orange Fizz plants have highly aromatic, thick quilted green leaves and clusters of large flowers with rich raspberry on the upper petals. An upright grower, Orange Fizz is perfect for patio pots or to line a walkway. Locate this easy care, drought tolerant plant where you can walk by and lightly squeeze a leaf between your fingers to release the enticing warm orange-citrus scent.
Rober's Lemon-Rose Scented Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens)Plants have oak-shaped leaves and a bushy habit with pretty sprays of tiny pink flowers. The handsome leaves yield a lavish fragrance that combines the scents of sweet citrus and rose fragrance whenever you brush or crush them. Steep the fragrant leaves in milk or sugar to add flavor to cakes, cookies or piecrust. Perfect in sachets or potpourri. Grows to 3 feet.
Lime Scented Geranium (Pelargonium x nervosum) Lime is a richly aromatic geraniums with striking, deeply cut, rich green leaves on strong, upright stems. It makes an excellent container plant, growing to around 18 inches tall with small, pale pink-lavender flowers stippled with lavender markings. Plants can take hot, sunny conditions outside and also make a handsome houseplant indoors in a sunny window.
Trio III: Spice
Ginger Scented Geranium (Pelargonium nervosum) This robust, 12 to 18 inch scented geranium grows upright with smooth, rich green, slightly toothed leaves that have an exotic citrusy-ginger aroma. At midseason, the attractive, fragrant plants bear dainty lilac flowers with delicate darker purple stippling. Ginger scented geraniums easy keepers that love a sunny location and can be grown indoors or out.
Cinnamon Scented Geranium (Pelargonium limoneum)Sun loving plants whose small, crinkly sawtooth leaves have an exotic citrus perfume with spicy cinnamon undertones. Plants start upright, then stems tip over into a pretty mounding shape. Cinnamon geraniums have abundant small pink blossoms with deeper pink markings on their upper petals. The scented flowers make lovely cake decorations and can be easily candied.
Nutmeg Scented Geranium (Pelargonium x fragrans) Tidy Nutmeg geranium has finely rounded, lobed leaves with a velvety texture and softly spicy nutmeg fragrance. It forms a neat mound about 1 foot tall and 18 inches across, with abundant dainty sprays of small white flowers in spring through summer Perfect in the garden, a container or hanging basket. Sturdy nutmeg geranium can take full sun or light shade.
