Celebrate my 2026 blogaversary with the story of how scented geraniums sparked my herb journey, inspired my first business, and returned to my Florida garden. Learn how to grow, use, and love these fragrant plants.
Scented Geraniums: The Little Leaf That Started It All
A 2026 Blogaversary Reflection
Every year when my blogaversary ( September 3) rolls around, I find myself thinking about roots — the things that ground us, shape us, and quietly steer our lives long before we realize it. Last year, I wrote about being rooted and established in love, and how that foundation carried me through every twist and turn of my entrepreneurial journey.
This year, I’m celebrating something much smaller. Much humbler. Much leafier.
A single scented geranium.
Because long before herb shows, teaching classes, craft fairs, cookbooks, and my first business — Kim’s Kakes Kutting & Kandles — there was a velvety leaf that smelled like magic.
And that tiny leaf changed everything.
The First Scented Geranium (Whichever One It Was…)
I wish I could tell you with absolute certainty which variety came first — Attar of Roses, Peppermint, Lady Plymouth, Lemon… but honestly? It’s been decades (yikes!), and the memory has softened around the edges.
And truly, it doesn’t matter.
What matters is the moment: I brushed my fingers across a leaf, lifted my hand, and the scent bloomed. Fresh. Floral. Unexpected. A plant that smelled like dessert.
It was unlike anything I had ever grown, and I was instantly hooked.
That was the spark.
The Kentucky Chapter: Meeting Mary Peddie
Somewhere between discovering my first scented geranium and teaching my first herb class, I made a trip to Kentucky to visit Mary Peddie — a name spoken with reverence in herb circles. If scented geraniums had royalty, Mary was the queen.
Her place wasn’t fancy. It wasn’t manicured. It wasn’t curated for Instagram. It was real — overflowing with plants, knowledge, and heart.
I remember the moment she invited me to sit with her on the cinder block wall that edged her garden. Just a simple, sun‑warmed wall built from stacked blocks, the kind every herb gardener seemed to have back then. We sat side by side, surrounded by hundreds of scented geraniums, each one releasing its fragrance into the warm Kentucky air.
Mary talked about her plants the way some people talk about old friends — knowing their quirks, their histories, their personalities. She brushed her fingers across a leaf, held it up for me to smell, and then told me a story about where that particular variety came from. She taught without ever sounding like she was teaching. She shared without ever sounding like she was lecturing. It was just two herb lovers on a cinder block wall, lost in the joy of fragrant leaves.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but that afternoon changed me. I left Kentucky with new plants, new inspiration, and a very clear sense that herbs weren’t just a hobby anymore — they were a calling. That visit nudged me toward herb shows, teaching, crafting, and eventually my first business.
It was one of those quiet turning points you only recognize years later.
The Herb‑Show Era & My First Business
Scented geraniums opened the door to everything that came next.
They led me to:
- launching Kim’s Kakes Kutting & Kandles
- herb shows
- teaching classes
- writing my first cookbook
- crafting scented candles and herb blends
- and ultimately launching Petals & Porch Posts
Those early years were full of creativity, community, and the kind of joyful chaos that only happens when you’re building something from scratch.
And scented geraniums were always there — tucked into arrangements, drying on racks, flavoring syrups, inspiring recipes, and sparking conversations.
They were the heartbeat of my herb journey.
That early inspiration eventually led me to create simple herb projects — like my Herb Basket Garden, which features scented geraniums in a charming container design. You can find the post here: Grow An Herb Garden In a Basket
Full Circle: Growing Scented Geraniums in Florida
This spring, I brought scented geraniums back into my life again — new plants, new varieties, new possibilities. I took photos when they first arrived, and I’ll be adding fresh progress shots now that they’ve settled into Florida life.
These are the assorted scented geraniums and herbs I ordered earlier this spring, fresh out of the box and ready to settle into their new Florida home. A mix of fuzzy leaves, variegated foliage, and even a tiny pink bloom made this delivery feel like opening a box of botanical treasures.
When these arrived earlier this spring, it felt like welcoming old friends back into my life.
There’s something deeply meaningful about growing them here, in this new chapter of my life. It feels like coming home to myself.
After potting them up, the scented geraniums and herbs spent a little time indoors adjusting to their new containers. I love how each one already shows its personality — fuzzy leaves, serrated edges, and even a tiny lavender bloom peeking out as if to say hello.
They’re thriving on the lanai, soaking up the Florida sun, and reminding me daily of where this whole adventure began.
A Mini‑Guide to Scented Geraniums (Because I Can’t Resist Teaching…)
What They Are
Scented geraniums (Pelargonium species) are tender perennials with fragrant leaves — rose, lemon, peppermint, nutmeg, apple, chocolate mint, and dozens more.
How They Grow
- They love sun.
- They tolerate heat.
- They prefer to dry out between waterings.
- They get tall — sometimes surprisingly tall.
- They’re perfect for containers.
Culinary vs. Non‑Culinary
Some varieties are edible and wonderful in:
- syrups
- sugars
- baked goods
- teas
- fruit salads
Others are strictly ornamental — beautiful, fragrant, but not for eating.
You can also explore Dessert Herbs Part 1 for more sweet‑scented inspiration. The post can be found here: What is a Dessert Garden?
Why They’re Perfect for Florida
They adore warmth, handle humidity well, and grow beautifully in pots or baskets on a lanai or patio.
A Leaf, A Journey, A Blog
Six years of blogging. Thirty‑plus years of herbs, teaching, crafting, and entrepreneurship. And it all began with one scented geranium.
This year’s blogaversary isn’t just a celebration of my blog — it’s a celebration of the plant that started my entire creative life. The plant that led me to Kentucky, to herb shows, to my first business, and eventually to From Farmhouse to Florida.
It feels right to honor it. It feels right to come full circle. And it feels right to share this story with you.
Here’s to scented geraniums — the tiny, fragrant beginning of everything.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. The opinions here are all my own. It helps me to continue to bring to you DIY and projects on my blog.
Please see my disclosure page for more information.
Leave a Reply