Does anyone else like to collect plants from certain families or genera? I worked with a gardener once who said it wasn’t something that interested him because to his mind it was no different from the person that collects license plates or beer bottles. He has a point but it is something I haven’t been able to shake. I have had all sorts of collections over the years (Clematis and Geraniums were two of the biggest) and probably won’t stop any time soon.
My latest craze is Pelargoniums. I’ve always loved them and now I live in the perfect climate to grow some of the more interesting species. We are very lucky to have an excellent resource in the mail order nursery Geraniaceae with many different cultivars and species of Geraniums, Pelargoniums and other plants in the family.
Pelargonium gibbosum is one of my favorites. Chartreuse flowers over a very long period. They have a strong jasmine fragrance starting at dusk.
Pelargonium laxum is another cool one with lots of sweet little white and pink flowers with bright orange anthers.
I have about a dozen species now and will probably continue adding more to the collection. Until something new catches my eye. What are you collecting these days?