Popular Paton's Unique

 Paton's Unique

Unique pelargoniums are species hybrids. They are shrubby woody stemmed pelargoniums with lobed leaves which are often slightly scented.  As do most Uniques, Paton's Unique can grow quite large, so will need lots of pruning and shaping.   Paton’s Unique was introduced in 1890 and is still popular today.  The plant is very free flowering - my second photo shows the plant exhibited in the last B.P.G.S. Show at Capel Manor in 2008.   Paton's Unique has deep rose pink petals fading to pale pink/white in the centre and paler edges to the petals, which is most attractive.  The leaves are deeply lobed and with a slightly pungent scent.

I find that it grows well in a tub outside in the summer, but as with all the pelargonium family, it must be cut back and moved into frost-free conditions before the cold winter months set in. 

Despite the fine weather we have had recently, I have frustratingly been unable to get out in the garden due to other commitments.  I did spend some time watering and grooming the pelargoniums in the greenhouses on Sunday.  This was a long overdue task and they all look a lot perkier now.  I tend to keep my pelargoniums quite dry during the winter months and at this time of year I forget that the sun warms the greenhouses up quite a lot and the plants dry out much quicker than they would have done a month ago.