A collection of scented geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), delightful to touch and sniff, makes a lovely window-sill garden that will buoy your spirits and keep your thumb green until it's time for outdoor gardening. These easy-care plants come in a variety of fruit and citrus scents (what could be more cheerful on a gray day?) and will thrive with a half-day's sunshine and regular watering. But these lovely herbs don't just look pretty. Their spicy fragrance lifts our spirits in many ways. You can:

• freshen a closet or drawer with dried lemon geranium leaves tucked into a muslin bag
• scent a room with a potpourri of dried apple or lime geranium leaves
• pep up apple jelly with a few peppermint geranium leaves
• flavor a cake by placing a leaf or two of rose geranium in the pan before you pour in the batter