The walled garden at Stourhead is home to a superb collection of pelargoniums, from the geranium family. Alan Power and Emily Utgren discuss how they protect and manage these beautiful plants, and what they tell us about the estate’s history.

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GERANIUM CAKE RECIPE

Serves: 8 Cook Time: 50 minutes Prep Time: 25 minutes Effort: easy

INGREDIENTS 6-8 rose geranium leaves 240 g butter 240 g caster sugar 4 eggs 140 g self-raising flour, sieved 120 g semolina Caster sugar, for dusting Fresh cream and rose petals, to serve

METHOD 1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Grease and line a 23cm spring-form cake tin with baking parchment.

1. Lay the geranium leaves around the base of the tin, upside down, stalk-end pointing towards the centre of the tin.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until very pale and fluffy, and then gradually beat in the eggs, a little at a time.
3. Fold in the flour and semolina. Spoon the cake mixture into the tin, taking care not to disturb the leaves. Bake in the centre of the oven, for about 45-50 minutes, until the cake is firm but springy to the touch.
4. Take the cake out of the oven, release the spring clip and carefully remove the sides of the tin. Turn the cake gently over onto a cooling rack set over a plate, bottom side up and carefully remove the base of the tin and the baking parchment.
5. Leave until completely cold, dust with caster sugar, and serve with fresh cream and rose petals.

PLANTS AND TREES IN ORDER OF REFERENCE

Pelargonium tomentosum - mint chocolate scented

Pelargonium triste