When Mr. T. Holborow's work took him to Orange from Engadine, N.S.W., Mrs. Holborow took some of her favourite geranium plants with her. These plants did very well and it was not long before she had a surplus, which she was able to let others have. So "Retah's Geranium Nursery" was commenced. It was to become so well known that people world wide had heard of it, and many overseas people visited it. Bus tours included the nursery as a "must" stop. It was said to he one of the best geranium displays in the Southern Hemisphere. Mrs. Holborow propagated all her own plants. She carried out all the work involved in planting and potting herself, except for a little help from husband Tom who mixed her soils etc. The name "Retah" comes from her and husband Tom's initials, R.E. and T.A. Holborow.
The name "Mrs. Holborow" has become a household word among geranium lovers all over Australia. At the time of compiling the list of her cultivars, Mrs. Holborow was living in retirement at Orange.
The following list was compiled by the Research Committee. In reply to our Society's letter to Mrs. Holborow, requesting she list them for us, she said that she did not keep her records as she did not think they would ever be needed. We therefore hope that in some small way, our work will provide Australians and the rest of the world with a record of her achievements in hybridising Australian Geraniums.
| Mrs. Denton | S. deep bronze/burnt orange, deeper ring in centre with a touch of mauve. |
| Allison | D. orange, dwarf. |
| Lenore | D. salmon with white centre, dwarf. Apricot with white centre |
| Meg. Fitzgerald | D. dusky orange, dwarf. |
| Nerelle | D. bright scarlet red, dwarf. |
| Red Robin | D. deep red, dwarf. |
| Anna | S. white, mauve pink edge, dwarf. White, mauve edge to all petals. |
| Black Opal, 1,2,3,4. | S. dark glossy foliage - 1. salmon pink flower, dwarf. 2. soft pink flower, dwarf. 3. pale pink flower, dwarf. 4. light pink flower, dwarf. |
| Black Sally | S. bright salmon, very dark leaf, dwarf. |
| Brenda Holborow | S. deep salmon, lighter edges, dwarf. |
| Clare | S. large pink with large white centre, dwarf. |
| Coralie | S. light salmon, dark leaf, dwarf. |
| Dusky Red | S. large dull dusky red flower, dwarf. |
| Jedda | S. Salmon. |
| Jenny Anne | S. cream/apricot, white centre, dwarf. |
| Karen Holborow | S. light salmon flower, dwarf. |
| Lauren | S. mauve flower occasional spotting like "Bird's Egg' group, dwarf. |
| Leonie Holborow | S. salmon, black leaf, dwarf. bright salmon flowers, very dark green leaves, turning blue black in winter. |
| Little Gem | S. salmon flower, grey/green leaf, dwarf. |
| Louise | S. deep red, dwarf. |
| Mellinda | S. pearly white, mauve pink centre, dwarf. |
| Mrs. F. Lombe | S. pale pink, dwarf. |
| Mrs. J. Nash | S. pure white, dwarf. |
| Rhona West | S. red, dwarf. |
| Rhonda | S. dwarf. |
| Rosalind | S. magenta red, large white eye, dwarf. |
| Tarton | sport of 'Mrs. Strang'. |
| Alfred Holmes | D. scarlet red, golden leaf with bronze zone. |
| Jule Rigby | D. soft red flower, gold green leaf, brown zone. |
| Retah's Crystal | D. pink flower, silver leaf, dark green with white edge. Wide white edge. Flowers are shaded apricot-pink with some white flecks. Very hard to root plant but beautiful and well worth the trouble! |
| Bronze Fan | S. salmon flower, green gold leaf with centre zone reddish chocolate in fan shape. |
| Bronze Lace | S. rose red flower, yellow-green leaf with wide bronze zone, pencilled edge. Single small rose red. Yellow green leaves with wide chocolate brown zone and pencilled edge. |
| Bronze Prince | S. no flower colour known, gold leaf with bronze zone. |
| Copper Princess | S. salmon flower, yellow gold leaf, copper zone to outer edge. |
| Dorothy Reddrop | S. large pink flower, gold leaf with bronze zone. |
| Florence Winstanley | S. pale pink flower, yellow green leaf flushed brown, semi dwarf habit. |
| Margery Butler | S. scarlet flower, touch of white in the centre, green leaf with bronze zone. |
Retah's Bronze  | S. salmon flower, gold leaf almost covered with large russet blotch. Rounded gold leaf almost covered by a large russet blotch. Single salmon flowers. |
| Retah's Brownie | S. salmon/red flower, dark leaf, centre blotch almost black in winter. Green leaf with dark centre blotch, darker in winter. Single salmon red flowers. Strong growth. |
| Rosalie Sievers | S. light pink flower, gold green leaf with broad zone of copper. |
| Essie Myers | D. soft cream/pink, miniature. |
| Isabel Elliott | D. salmon. |
| Minuet | D. scarlet, miniature. |
| Rebecca | D. deep salmon pink, miniature. Double, cerise pink flowers. |
| Sparklette | D. light red, white centre, miniature. |
| Black Heart | S. terra-cotta red, blue/black leaf, glossy, dark centre blotch, miniature. |
| Snow Blossom | S. pure white, miniature. |
| Bonny | dwarf. |
| Bess | ('Retah's Bess') D. mauve, dark green leaf with black zone. |
| Joanne | S. |
| Cerise Star | S. cerise. Cerise purple Cerise purple |
| Orchid Fairy | S. orchid pink. |
| Pixie Glow | S. salmon pink. Glowing salmon pink |
| Pixie Pink | S. bright pink. |
| Millfield Rosebud | 'Rosebud Gem', D. soft pink rosebud type flower. Pale baby pink rosebud flowers. 'Rosebud Gem', Pale pink rosebud. Hybrid. |
| Wyangala | pink with a flush of salmon, a stray seedling. |
| Dawn Lake | D. frosty mauve pink, 'Jester' seedling. |
| Mrs. G. Taylor | D. light purple, 'Giroflee' seedling. |
| Mrs. P. Golledge | D. frosty deep mauve pink, 'Jester' seedling. |
| Retah | D. magenta/rose, flush of salmon, 'Jester' seedling. |
| Ruby Holborow | D. rose red. |
| Rose Red | ('Red Rosebud') D. bright red rosebud type, dark zone towards the centre of leaf. |
| Dale Morley | creamy white, some pink spotting with age. |
| Jean Erhardt | pale pink with magenta feathering, pale green leaf. |
| Mark Morley | blue/mauve, top petals purple, frilled flower. |
| Michela | variety of shades of pink with white centre. |
| Patricia | deeper colour than 'Parisienne', deep mauve top petals, veined velvety red. |
| Pink Orchid | top petals deep pink, lower petals pale pink. |
| Retah's Pride | top petals blood red, white edged, lower petals deep pink, frilled. |
| Retah's Pet | masses of flowers, similar to 'Madam Layal', silvery overlay. |