I am looking for scented geraniums - I have read it a few of my herb books that there is a ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg scented geranium, and the leaves can be dried and powdered then used as a substitute for the real ground spice. I am interested in trying this out, in the interests of growing locally, self-sufficiency etc etc.

I have checked our local plant centres but they only have a few varieties - tending toward fancy flowered ones. Is it too soon to be looking or will I need to get them to order in? Does anyone know?

Try the herb section of the garden centre. I have more than a dozen different varieties, most near my back door so I walk on them as I go past. I have chocolate, ginger, coconut, apple, rose, peppermint, nutmeg, lemon, lime, orange, etc. They are all natural plants (ie not treated to smell like their name), and they really do smell like that.

A good cooking tip is to put a peppermint geranium leaf (large and hairy) at the bottom of the cake tin, so the cake smells and tastes like peppermint. I don't know if this trick works with the chocolate variety, but imagine if it did - chocolate cake without the calories!

Good luck

Linda

I have just spent forever scouring the net to try and find scented geraniums and other specialist herbs for sale and have just come across a fantastic garden and nursery in Manawatu that stocks them and other herbs i have been looking for for awhile.

Check out [www.fragrantgarden.co.nz]

They sell them online and courier them to you, though freight charges are quite high, but then it is plants travelling, which isn't easy. i can't wait to spend up large at The Fragrant Garden!

Thanks Teresa for the link. I have looked all around our garden centres and managed to buy a coconut-scented geranium, but that was all they had.

Linda - apparently the rose gernamium works nice when used as you have for the peppermint.

I had a chocolate mint - now deceased - and it smelled wonderful. I should try and track another one down and look after it better this time.