ROLLISON'S UNIQUE - UNIQUE PELARGONIUM

 

Rollison's Unique

 This year I have started to gather a small collection of Unique Pelargoniums.    These are an old type of pelargonium, which differ from the more popular types.  They have a different growth habit, as well as flowers and leaves.  Over one hundred years ago the Unique types were very popular, but are not often seen or grown today.   In her book, Geraniums, "The Complete Encyclopaedia", Faye Brawner says that P. fulgidum is reputed to be a common ancestor of the Uniques, and it's influence can be seen in some, but not all of the types.  No records have ever been kept of which plants were used in their ancestry.
In the 1960's, the American hybridiser, Frances Hartsook bred a number of Uniques that would be able to cope with the heat of a desert area of Mexico, where she was living at the time.  She used various regals and Old Scarlet Unique in her crosses.  Sadly Miss Hartsook seems to have lost her original records with the parentage of her Uniques.

Rollison's Unique

Last weekend, on the way home from a short stay in Lincoln, I visited The Herb Nursery, a small nursery in Rutland.  They have a collection of pelargoniums, as well as herbs and many other garden shrubs and perennials.  Naturally, the pelargoniums where what I went to see.  I was not disappointed and I can highly recommend this small neat and charming nursery.  All the plants were well grown and all looked very healthy.  Rollison's Unique was one of the plants I came home with, as well as three others.   Originally introduced in the UK c.1880 and supposedly registered in 1835.  

                                                                                                            Gwen Ward