They are all small shrubs but they show as great a variation in their foliage as in their fragrance. The leaves range from tiny frilled and fan shapes to intricately lacy skeleton forms, from grape-shaped to gooseberry to oakleaf. A collection of scented geraniums can form a garden full of textural interest. The flowers are charming and prolific, borne in dense umbels, but are more modest than those of zonal geraniums.

Most of the scented geraniums originated from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa and were first introduced into England in 1632. Rather oddly, they were more or less overlooked until the 1840s when the French became interested in their potential for essential oil for the perfumery trade. The rose geranium Pelargonium graveolens yields one of the freshest and sweetest scented of all the essential oils with true rose fragrance sharpened with green notes. The leaves and stems are extracted by steam distillation. For some time the oil was used as an adulterant of the very expensive perfumery ingredient attar of roses. Geranium oil is produced commercially for perfumery in France, on the island of Réunion, Algeria, India, China, Egypt, and Italy. Other species now used for essential oil extraction are the rose scented species P. capitatum and P. radens.

Rose oil is also valued in aromatherapy. It is added to massage oils and used to relieve nervous tension, to soothe symptoms of eczema and dermatitis, and for premenstrual tension. The dried leaves of many scented geraniums are an excellent addition to pot pourri mixes. The oil is also used cosmetically and is thought to be of benefit for both dry and excessively oily skins. The oil is delightfully refreshing and soothing to the skin when added to a warm bath. It is also anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, and has been used for the treatment of mild burns. In America it is being used as a tick repellent for dogs. A couple of drops are applied each week to the dog’s collar. The oil is also thought to be a mosquito and lice repellent. In some places a hedge of scented geranium is believed to be even more effective as a repellent for evil spirits. It seems to have the opposite effect on humans for it was a popular ingredient in love potions.

Scented geraniums are one of the great culinary secrets. They are edible and yield their delicious scents to many dishes. The commonest way to use them is to finely chop the leaves and leave them to infuse in the liquid to be used in a recipe, straining the leaves out before proceeding. They are used to flavour jellies, sorbets, caster sugar, syrups, sauces, sweet butter, rice puddings, custards, and cake frostings. A summer vinegar is made by infusing red wine vinegar with fresh rose geraniun leaves and fresh raspberries. Next time you bake a cake, line the cake tin with the leaves of scented geranium and place the still slightly warm cake on top of the leaves. It will absorb the fragrance and flavour. Rose geranium leaves go well with vanilla cake, peppermint leaves with chocolate cake, and lemon scented geranium leaves with coconut or citrus cakes. Try placing a couple of leaves of rose geranium underneath apples before baking them, and add a couple of rose geranium leaves to stewing pears or apples. A leaf of rose, apple, or lime geranium added to the pot miraculously transforms a simple cup of tea.

Collecting scented geraniums became a hobby for nineteenth century gardeners in England who filled both their conservatories and parlours with the plants, and overwintered them on sunny windowsills. Oblivious to the rules governing Victorian morality which were strictly guided by the ‘family values’ of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, close proximity in the heated atmosphere of the conservatory precipitated any number of reckless affairs between various species of Pelargonium. They hybridised with the greatest of ease. Every so often exciting new progeny occurred worthy of naming. At the height of their very considerable fashion, scented geranium fanciers grew several hundred named cultivars.

Today scented geraniums are once more in vogue, but we are left with less than one hundred surviving types. Like many things Victorian, scented geraniums have become much loved antiques avidly collected by all who have discovered their charms. While many are well suited to pot culture, others are best planted in the ground as in Australia’s climate they can reach 1.2 metres or more. Like South Africa, much of Australia can grow scented geraniums to perfection. They require little more than good drainage and sunshine. Few will survive more than a mild frost, but frost tender species can be overwintered in pots on windowsills with at least four hours sunshine daily, or in a greenhouse. Among the best types for smaller pot culture are ‘Apple’, ‘Coconut’, ‘Nutmeg’, ‘Tutti Frutti’, ‘Cider Apple’, ‘Lime’, ‘Ginger’, ‘Prince Rupert’, ‘French Lace’, ‘Endsleigh’,’Dwarf Rose’ and ‘Fingerbowl’ geranium. These will all grow well in 20 cm to 30 cm pots, provided they receive regular watering. Other cultivars are suited to larger pots such as half wine barrels. Place them along paths, on decks or patios, or by a door where passers by will brush against them and release their wonderful scents.

Most scented geraniums are propagated quite readily from tip cuttings taken in late summer, inserted around the edge of pots containing a freely freely draining potting medium and firmed into position. Take tip cuttings that are around 10 cm long, making a clean cut immediately below a leaf. The bushes grow rapidly and yield a harvest of leaves even in their first year. It is always advisable to propagate annually in colder areas, or to grow them in pots so that they can be overwintered out of frosts.

Examples of some of the finest scented geraniums available in Australia are given below, grouped according to their fragrance family.