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 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, who is nursery manager, is one of three generations of the extended Hyde family who continue to 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 free, 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. Read along as you listen to the Aug. […]

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