PELARGONIUMS

TUVOK

I'm interested in having a large Pelargonium, but do not have a greenhouse, only a few small cold frames which are limited in height, so problem in winter protection.
My back garden faces directly south, so always obtains the most sunshine.
I did read in a short article that some Pelargoniums are perennial? but the article did not explain how that is?
Could any one explain if you can have a Pelargonium which is hardy enough to survive a British winter, I live in South Wales, near the border with England. 

Emmia

I have a few scented pelargoniums in pots on a patio in London, left out all year round - my best one is "sweet mimosa" which I cut back hard each year and comes back to fill the pot by May/June with a fairly domed plant
https://www.norfolkherbs.co.uk/product/scented-pelargonium-geranium-sweet-mimosa/

I've also got a lemon scented one (Citrus fresh i think) which is more upright in it's habit, and the classic "Attar of Roses" which is rose scented, and more upright.

Cola bottles (the leaves really smell of the sweets) is another favourite, but less robust - I / the winter seem to have killed the one I had last year!

gwynlas

Some of mine survived this past winter outdoors really well but I am on south coast. You coud overwinter in the house my parents kept theirs on the dry side in a spare bedroom.

25_Years_On

Pelargoniums, or as most people call them Geraniums, are perennial but mainly can't survive frosty weather. I bring mine inside. If you can't move a container into a protected place you can dig them out, probably cut them back and put them in a smaller pot. My best ones so far this year were crammed together in a small pot with some spare seedling compost and kept on a windowsill. I didn't cut these back. They don't need much water. They can't stand frost but they can stand mistreatment.

TUVOK

I currently grow about 60 geraniums each year, at the end of summer I root trim, cut excess top growth  and put in 4" square pots and then put into my cold frames, I only ever lose a very small percentage.
How ever I thought that Pelargoniums were a lot larger and wondered if doing the same process as I do with Geraniums would be too severe for them? 

twopenny

Tuvork can you put a link to what type you mean?
The big leaved, big flowered summer ones I leave out somewhere sheltered and they flower on till march or so. Then I cut back to about 2" and they do come back but smaller.
The smaller, cut leaved with small flowers are happy in all beds.
I live west somerset so similar climate

TUVOK

I've done some general research and watched clips on Youtube and now realise just now how many types there are.
I was looking at growing the larger varieties, so similar to what you are growing.
I think that I'll research which larger variety to grow  and at the end of summer, do the same as what I do with my geraniums, but cut the height back to what I can get into my cold frame, and then see how it performs the next year. 

[Deleted User]

Geraniums are perennial, they like thin, poor, soil, and south facing aspect, in sheltered, and/or Southern counties will overwinter just fine.
There are loads of varieties and some can be extremely invasive - which, in my opinion, is a lovely sight !
If they're not in those conditions their roots will rot over winter and die.

Pelargoniums are annual and would need overwintering in a conservatory, possible greenhouse.
The scented varieties can overwinter if they're potted and can be moved close to the property/sheltered area/micro climate.