How geraniums became the latest fashionable flower – and the best varieties to grow

There are many reasons why geraniums have long been a stalwart of the British garden. Perennially popular due to their easygoing, low-maintenance nature, they bring bursts of colour to many a flower bed, pot and hanging basket. Partly due to their ubiquity and accessibility, they are also, however, considered a little basic by some gardeners.

But of late, the humble geranium is having something of a fashion moment. When the designer Cath Kidston launched her bodycare brand C. Atherley last year, for example, she based it entirely on her own collection of geraniums that she tends in a greenhouse in her Cotswold garden – although, admittedly, these are no basic geraniums: Kidston admits to developing a near obsession with scented geraniums during the pandemic, at one point counting more than 250 plants in her collection.

And now, Lady Bamford’s lifestyle brand, Bamford, has just released its first geranium-scented candle and fragrance diffuser – inspired by the 112 varieties of geranium grown in a dedicated greenhouse at Daylesford Farm.

So what is it about the scents of geraniums that makes them so appealing and, suddenly, so stylish?

The oil extracted from geranium leaves is thought to have antidepressant and anti-inflammatory properties, hence its connection with wellness products. The classic fragrances of geraniums are also powerfully evocative.

“I’ve loved their scent since I was a little girl, when I would reach for the green bottle of Floris’s Rose Geranium at bath time – just a few drops would fill the house with this wonderful mossy aroma with a gentle hint of sweetness,” says Lady Bamford. “It’s a nostalgic scent for me; its earthiness feels grounding and reassuring. I wanted to keep it fresh and modern, so we balanced its softness with peppermint and eucalyptus to keep it uplifting and refreshing. It’s the scent of the English countryside: so calming.”

Kidston, too, has childhood memories of her mother’s geraniums: “She kept several potted plants by the kitchen door, and they would always include her geraniums, so I’d often rub one of the leaves with my fingers to release its scent.” For her, it is the variety of fragrances that geraniums offer that is most intriguing.

Should you be moved to grow your own geraniums, this time of year, after the last frosts, is the best time to put them in the ground – or, perhaps, in a pot by your front door, so everyone can see how chic and on-point you are.

“If you want to grow geraniums in a pot, ensure you use a soil-based compost, enriched with a bit of garden compost if you have some handy,” advises gardener Sarah Raven. “Geraniums in pots will also need regular watering as they are naturally quite thirsty plants.”

For an effect that is less pub-hanging-basket, more stylish-gardener-in-the-know, here are some attractive varieties to try, as recommended by the experts.

Subhead: Five geraniums to try

Raven recommends Geranium Rozanne, a renowned violet-blue perennial geranium voted RHS Plant of the century. “It flowers for months at a stretch, and the abundant and crisp colour looks beautiful sitting in a pot with an evergreen backdrop. If you’re hoping to create an elegant look in the garden, Rozanne is a fabulous choice,” she says. “By cutting Rozanne back hard after flowering you may also be treated to a second flush of flowers.

Raven also favours the lesser-known Bloom Me Away: “an improved geranium variety to the Rozanne. It is loved by bees and it flowers repeatedly. It’s a must have if you’re looking to introduce geraniums to your garden.”

An alternative that Raven suggests, for those who prefer a more muted palette, is Kashmir White: “It’s one of the longest and most prolific flowering hardy geraniums in pure white, with beautiful purple veining,” she says, “and it is also good in a shady position.”

Among Kidston’s favourites is Ardens, the species that inspired her first fragrance, which she describes as “magical” thanks to its citrus, minty scent. It has deeply cut foliage and pale pink flowers with purple centres.

Kidston also likes Lemon Fancy, which has lemon-scented foliage and pale mauve flowers.