episode 182 | show notes & advice
episode description
For the lifestyles that many of us lead, low-maintenance and high performing plants are the perfect combination, for which pelargoniums are an absolute must-have.
Sarah Raven & Arthur Parkinson delve into the very best pelargoniums, highlighting some irresistibly scented varieties too, and share the best tips for propagating them in either your pots or your borders.
In this episode, discover
- Sarah & Arthur’s standout pelargonium varieties, with picks for scent like ‘Attar of Roses’ to more eye-catching plants like ‘Kewensis’
- Tips from Chatsworth on how best to propagate pelargoniums, particularly en masse
- A stunning recipe for using pelargoniums in a lovely cordial
links and references
Order Sarah’s new book - A Year Full of Pots
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Flowers
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Veg
Sarah Raven's Garden Cookbook | Sarah Raven
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Episode 182 advice sheet
Why pelargoniums are so beloved and how best to propagate them (1:00)
Pelargoniums are some of the most low-maintenance, high performers among the tender perennials, and their presence in a pot or a border is always welcome - not to mention some of the more delightfully scented varieties.
On one particular visit to Chatsworth, Arthur had a chance to see where and how they do tons of pelargonium propagation. Contrary to the 9cm pots many of us might use, they have trays of jiffy sevens with about three cuttings each, so if you’re planning on sowing a lot of pelargoniums then that’s the way to go.
The quintessential scented leaf variety (7:15)
The name at the top of Arthur’s wish list of pelargoniums is undoubtedly ‘Attar of Roses’, not least because of the delicious scent that hits you just as much as its gorgeous pink visage.
Arthur notices that, should you bring them into a small house, they suffer from temperature variations. It’ll take a few weeks for you to find where they’re happiest in winter, but a little bit of seaweed feed keeps them looking pretty through the off-months.
More top varieties and their greatest qualities (9:10)
Among the other cracking varieties on Sarah and Arthur’s radar are plants like Dragon’s Breath and Kewensis, the latter of which might be difficult to find but was an incredible talking point and conversation starter as it featured on our stand at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Giving the ‘Attar of Roses’ variety one more well-deserved mention, Sarah finished off the episode with a lovely idea for the scented leaf variety once you have it in your garden - a recipe for using it in a refreshing cordial.
