Now that the holidays have passed, the scents of fir and pine are behind us and a long winter of indoor living is still ahead. If you are lucky, the winter smells in your house include the aromas of delicious things in the oven and wood burning in the fireplace. If you are less lucky, … Read more
I was first smitten with scented-leaf geraniums on a visit to the Cornell Botanic Garden in Ithaca, New York. It was a sunny summer day and I passed a raised bed of vigorous geraniums near the Welcome Center. The sunshine had warmed the essential oils lurking at the bases of tiny leaf hairs, allowing visitors … Read more
As I bring some of the geraniums inside, and consign others to death at the hands of the Frost God, I have to stop and consider the miraculous nature of these ubiquitous plants. The bright, fluffy-headed, tender perennials that we call “geraniums” are actually members of the Pelargonium species. When we fill our window boxes … Read more
The sunniest spot on my dining room window seat is currently occupied by a geranium—Pelargonium x hortorum–that is struggling to come to terms with the winter light. By the time it truly acclimates, it will probably be March—almost time to take it outdoors to soak up the direct sunshine it craves. In the meantime, it … Read more
Life is full of rules. Some, like “no wearing white after Labor Day”, arrived via well-meaning mothers and grandmothers. Others are rules that we impose on ourselves. One of the garden rules that has lurked in the back of my mind forever is “geraniums belong in pots”. The geraniums I deal with most often are … Read more
