Patrick McDuffee believes that everyone should have at least one scented geranium on their windowsill year-round, for an on-demand invigorating whiff of fragrance, or to admire its colorful flowers…or to make a homebrewed cup of herbal tea from its leaves. Patrick is the third generation of his family to cultivate scented geraniums, or Pelargoniums, at Well-Sweep Herb Farm in rural New Jersey, where 80-something Pelargonium varieties are among some 2,000 different kinds of herb plants in the nursery’s amazing collection.

Well-Sweep Herb Farm is a popular destination nursery in Port Murray, N.J., founded in 1969 by Cyrus and Louise Hyde, which today has more than 6 acres of themed gardens to explore. Patrick McDuffee, who is nursery manager, is one of three generations of the extended Hyde family who bring Well-Sweep to life, including his grandmother and his uncle David Hyde, who runs the business. 

Each garden season Well-Sweep hosts a couple of weekend-long festivals, with the next one – its Fall Flower Festival and Craft Market – set for Aug. 30 and 31, with lots of expert talks and tours and more – including what Patrick is calling a “Scented Geranium Deep Dive” that’s he’s offering. 

Categories: