Pelargonium capitatum Attar of Roses

The Pelargonium capitatum 'Attar of Roses' is an old horticultural hybrid, a scented geranium dating back to the 1900s. The vigorous plant has foliage that releases an intense rose fragrance with the slightest touch. With its wonderful lobed and dissected foliage, green and fuzzy, this pelargonium is capable of flowering from summer to Christmas when protected from the cold. Its small light pink flowers are streaked with purple and gathered in graceful bouquets at the tips of the stems. Still highly appreciated as both an annual and a conservatory plant, this variety, which boasts numerous qualities, is undoubtedly a safe bet!

The 'Attar of Roses' Pelargonium is derived from a botanical species native to the coasts of South Africa, called Pelargonium capitatum or head-flowered pelargonium. The latter was one of the first Geranium Africanum to reach the European continent via Holland, arriving in England shortly before 1690. In South Africa, it grows spontaneously in sand dunes but adapts to all types of soil, even clay, easily colonising bare land. The 'Attar of Roses' selection shows the same ability to develop, quite rapidly, in any type of soil, even occasionally dry. The plant forms a ramified bush, tall and wide, from 60 to 80 cm (24 to 32in). Its pubescent and fragrant stems bear clusters of small pale pink flowers, light and perhaps less spectacular than those of classic perennial or annual hybrids, but more authentic. The leaves, ranging from medium green to grey, undulate, dentate, veined, and divided into 3 to 5 lobes, are highly fragrant. With a simple touch, they release a delicate but intense scent.

The 'Attar of Roses' Pelargonium is as beautiful to look at as it is delightful to smell and pleasant to touch. Plant it, therefore, in a pot or in the ground, in a place where you can enjoy it, along a pathway or in a large pot on the terrace or conservatory, near a staircase, never too far from the house, or even inside the house, in a minimally heated room in winter. We were stopped one day after the rain, in front of a bed of fragrant geraniums, and simmersed ourselves in a symphony of delicate scents. In mild climates, it is a plant that can become exuberant and requires very little maintenance, making it valuable for coastal gardens.

Its leaves are widely used in perfumery to extract a rose essence, and the English pick its flowers to perfume their jellies. Try flavouring a recipe with the scent of fragrant pelargonium, it works! The edible leaves are used in fruit salads and potpourri.