INTRODUCTION

The British and European Geranium Society (BEGS) is delighted to be able to present this Register and Checklist of Pelargonium Cultivars. We were pleased to be given the responsibility of producing the document and are proud to introduce its publication for the first time.

To explain the background to its completion, many years ago in order to rectify a situation of indiscriminate hybridisation without proper records being maintained, and continuing multiplication of names, the International Society for Horticultural Science set up a Commission for Nomenclature and Registration to be responsible for international horticultural matters, including the checking and registration of particular cultivars, and the production of Registers. In respect of the Pelargonium, the work was started by the Australian Geranium Society, which published information relating to cultivars names from A-F in the 1970's and 1980's.

BEGS first became involved when it was appointed the International Registration Authority for the genus Pelargonium in 2003 with a former Chairman, Bob Hall, as International Registrar. He continued the task of collating information for the Register and spent many months concluding the initial work. Without his considerable input, the results you now see would not have been possible and we all owe him our heartfelt thanks. Unfortunately, he had to cease his efforts through ill health, and I was appointed to succeed him in 2005. I continued with what was becoming a mammoth production, and began to be assisted by Cathy Holgate, the then Secretary of the Society. She enlisted the technical direction of Largs Printing Company and together we have all continued with the work, checking the details, crosschecking information, considering and amending each individual entry to achieve consistency of style and content, and deciding on design issues. Overall, Cathy has reviewed five proofs, which has taken many months of painstaking work, and we are grateful to her for giving it so much of her free time.

At the same time, Cathy and I worked on devising Procedures and Notes of Guidance for the Registration of new plants, together with a Registration Form, both giving details on how to make an application. These are attached as Appendices.

There have been times when we have wondered whether our work would ever be completed, but here it is! Its contents are as accurate as possible based on passed and currently available material, and whatever use you make of it, we hope you will find it interesting, helpful and informative.

Mary Spink FBEGS

International Registrar for the Pelargonium Cultivar