Geelong Botanical Gardens
​Pelargonium and Geranium Collection
Reproduced with permission of the City of Greater Geelong
The Geelong Botanic Gardens have a large collection of species and cultivars from the Geraniaceae family. This family includes the popular Geraniums and Pelargoniums familiar to gardeners.

The Florence E Clarke Geranium Conservatory has changing displays of the cultivar collection.
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The central display in The Florence E Clarke Geranium Conservatory in the Geelong Botanic Gardens
PicturePelargoniums surround the Raphael Romanelli Italian marble sculpture of Ruth
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For the past 150 years or so Geraniums and Pelargonium have been grown at the Geelong Botanic Gardens (GBG).

For many years these plants were being grown as general garden plants in borders and shrub beds.

In 1972 the collection of Pelargonium and Geranium at the gardens took a big step forward with the construction of the Florence E Clarke Geranium Conservatory.
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The Conservatory aimed to display the diversity of this group and showcase their horticultural potential and uses.
The Geranium Family
The Geranium Family was first recorded in 1576 in southern Europe.  Within the first 50 years of discovery Pelargonium hybrid plants began appearing. 

​IN 1770 Sir Joseph Banks on his voyage with Captain Cook discovered the first Pelargonium in Australia at Kurnell, Botany Bay.  This plant was named Pelargonium australe.  Since its discovery many other species of Pelargonium and Geranium have been found in Australia.

The vast majority of these plants however occur naturally in southern Africa.

The Geranium family is actually made up of five distinct Genera.  Geranium, Pelargonium, Sarcocaulon, Monsonia and Erodium.

The true Geranium is known as the "Cranesbill".  The flowers are circular and most have rounded petals on stems with 1-3 florets.  The flower colours range from pink to blues and reds.

There are many different types of Pelargonium.  At the GBG we display a number of these groups including; Regal Pelargonium, Zonal Pelargonium, Ivy and Scented leaf Pelargoniums and species.

Regal Pelargoniums have large showy flowers, single or semi double on stems of 3-9 florets.  Many colours are now available.
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Regal High Ace
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Zonal Pelegonium flower
Zonal Pelargoniums are often called 'geraniums' and have medium round shaped flowers that bloom throughout the year. The colours range from white, to pinks and vivid reds. They are the red geraniums that are often seen in window box planters. Some are also grown for their ornamental foliage.
Ivy Leafed Pelargoniums are generally climbers and have distinctive ivy like leaves.  The flowers range in colour from whites to pinks, reds and purples.
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​Scented Pelargonium are not grown for their flowers, their scented foliage is the real feature.  The leaves can be used as herbs and scented varieties include; lemon, lime, orange, coconut, rose nutmeg, apple, spice, peppermint and many others.

​Species Pelargonium - this group relates to the naturally occurring wild species. 
​We were most fortunate to be the recipients of a very significant collection of species Pelargonium donated to the GBG by Barry Grandpierre.  Barry collected plants and seed worldwide and today the GBG has one of the great collections of both ornamental and species Pelargonium.
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