Its story brings us all the way back to as early as 7000BC, when found objects that hold perfume and cosmetics are thought to date back to. At that stage perfumes were mainly resins and even 2000 BC Egyptians captured fragrances in cold or heated fat and they used scented incense as offers at the burial of mummies where it was believed to be the ‘sweat of the gods’.

It is hard to pinpoint the exact origins of perfume, some say it originates in Mesapotamia while others take it that it comes from what is still called ‘Land of Perfumes’ -Arabia. There is no doubt that perfume plays strong roles in most cultures where it often has connections to the spirituality, god and all things sacred and divine.

Much of what we now know about early Arab perfume comes from an Arab perfume recipes volume called ‘The Book of Perfu’ by Yakub al-Kindi which dates to 803-870 AD. Islamic cultures not only invented steam distillation but also contributed to Western development of perfumery by introducing new raw materials.

Perfume manufacture by cultivating flowers for their essence in France began in the 14th century and the country quickly grew into the European centre of perfume and cosmetics.  Even today the perfume Industry in France is a thriving machine that uses ancient alchemy to produce the most luxurious scents.

Scents distilled from flowers have a long history and most quality perfumes we know today contain oils derived from flowers. One of my favourite scents is the unmistakeable scent of Rose which features in so many perfumes and gives many perfumes the raspberry, lemon zesty fresh scent that is so recognizable. The name rose actually comes from the French and can be traced back through Latin to ancient Greek and ultimately to the old Persian Wurdi.

The making of the Rose essence starts with the Rose flower which is also known as the ‘Queen of Flowers’. Most essences are made either from the Rosa damascena, which is mostly found in Arab countries or the Rosa x centifolia which grows mostly in the South of France.

Creating Rose absolute, the most coveted essence, is a painstaking process which begins with the picking of the petals. This is not a quick process as it takes about 60,000 roses to make on ounce of Rose absolute! These roses then need to be dried and bathed in an organic solvent and after the solvent is removed you are left with a syrup called concrète. This concrète  is then processed with alcohol to separate the plant waxes from the liquids and when it cools the solid parts are removed. Then is is distilled again to separate the essence from the alcohol and you are left with one of the most coveted and expensive materials for perfumes worldwide.

Growing this Rose, which is also known as The Cabbage Rose or the Provence Rose, in your own garden is not so hard if you can get your hands on one. The shrub shaped rose grows to about 1.5 metres and flowers from May to July- hence it’s French name ‘Rose de Mai’. The flowers on these plants are hermaphrodite, meaning they are self-fertile. They prefer a well drained soil and can even grow in semi-shade though the scent of these beauties is most striking in sunshine.

Scented Wonders

Resins, Roots and Blossom.

There are many flowers  and ingredients that give our beloved perfumes their unique scent. Since ancient times people have used everything from Patchouli, which is the strongest aroma in the plant kingdom to resins such as tree resins and the earthy Oakmoss of lichens as well as Frankinsence, the church incense. Woods such as Sandalwood and Cedarwood have also long been used in ancient religious rites in the far east but it is the floral scents that often steal the show in modern times. Here are three more flowers which are staples of the perfumers magic box.

Jasmine

Where the Rose is considered the Queen of flowers, Jasmine absolute is known as the ‘King of oils’. Jasmine can be found in so many perfumes and is one of the most popular scents. In its native India, where many Jasmine flowers for perfumes originate, the flower is thought to be the flower of the Gods and if you close your eyes and breathe in the scent, it is not hard to understand why. The scent is complex even it itself, with hints of green banana with the strength of leather and a fruity sweet summery note.  Processing this flower is tricky and as it releases its scent at in the late evening, hence the name ‘Queen of the night’ and the picked flowers must be immediately processed before they start to wilt. Added to this the flowers must be carefully picked in special baskets so the delicate petals don’t bruise and so change the bouquet of the flower. It is one of the most pricey oils to buy, and no wonder, it takes about 8000 flowers to make one gram of the oil!

Orange blossom 

The bitter orange tree is a resilient evergreen tree, Citrus aurantium who’s beautiful almost orchid like flowers have a stunningly strong scent. Anyone that’s ever smelled one knows the scent is almost intoxicating and so quintessentially Mediterranean. Interestingly, the blossoms of this tree create both the Orange blossom absolute as well as Neroli oil and the two differ in aroma and texture due to the processes they go through in extraction. Orange blossom absolute is used in many perfumes as a fixative as it blends so well with most other scents-complementing everything from florals to woody tones and even spices. Neroli, which was named after the Italian Princess of Neroli, tends to be lighter in colour and aroma and is in many citrus colognes and perfumes.

Violets

Both the leaves and the flowers of the Viola odorata are used in perfume making and yet the scent between the two differs greatly. Where the flowers have a powdery sweet woody smell due to the ionones in the flower, the leaves smell like freshly cut grass, intensely green with a hint of cucumber. Two type os Violet are grown in the South of France for the perfume industry-the Victoria and the Parma.

Interestingly the Ancient Greeks made the Violet the official symbol of Athens and Napoleon chose the Violet as his signature flower.  This plant is very common in the shadier borders of Ireland and if you walk near a woodland at this time of the year you’re sure to spot some of these delicate beauties.

Explore

If exploring the world of scents is something that interests you then what better place to start this journey than the perfume capital of the world-Grasse? The Grasse Institute of Perfumery runs a course in a 13th Century Convent in the heart of the provence. The Institute, created in 2002 by Prodarom, the French Association of Fragrance Manufacturers  the aim of our perfumery school is to train student perfumers and the Institute also offers seminars, workshops and summer internships to explore the world of fragrance for lovers of the enchanting world of fragrances. The course ‘Scents of Provence’,  which costs €1,500.00,  runs  from Monday the 4th to Friday the 8th of July from 9 am to 5 pm and lunch is included. For more go to www.grasse-perfumery.com

Leonie Loves 

For me perfumes often send me back to particular times in my life. They are  intensely personal and I am often surprised how they draw a strong emotional reaction. The fresh Rose scent of Eau de Cartier Goutte de Rose for example  is one that makes me think of summer holidays as a teenager while Bois de Violette by Serge Lutens makes me think of nuzzling up to my grandmother’s soft, sweet, talcy-violet fragranced neck as a child.

One scent that takes the powdery sweetness of the Violet and combines it with the romance of the Grasse Rose is the new fragrance by L’Occitane which is launched in time for the company’s 40 year anniversary this year. It’s a surprising scent which plays with tarty top notes of Rhubarb and Blackcurrant and blends it with base notes of Sandalwood and Musk while never losing the heart of the fragrance-the Queen of the flower-the Rose. For more go to www.loccitane.com

Glass vase by @woodiesdiy.com

Boasting over 200 colour varieties, it is no wonder that the Iris takes its name comes from the Greek name for ‘Rainbow’. The yellows of the flag Iris are instantly recognizable in our marshlands and the blues of the tall and elegant Sibirica as well as the incredible showy bearded Iris varieties shows us that there is a colour and variety for every garden and at all times of the year.

The Iris reticulata ‘Edward’ is one dwarf variety that is both subtle and pretty, en elegantly shaped sword like flower that is so rewarding in an early scheme. I love how the deep purple of the flowers are off-set by the striking orange and white accents at the edge of the trifold petals. You can just imagine being a bee and seeing that delightfully bright landing strip to guide you to the nectar!

Native to Turkey and the Caucasian mountains these pretty flowers grow only to about 10-15cm and have lovely sword like leaves that rise higher even than the petals. They are a wonderful plant for a container and which makes them a welcome addition to balconies and smaller gardens. I have planted them into a gorgeous green speckled planter and placed some moss around the bare earth around them, making them feel almost a part of the planter, as though they have always grown there.

The Iris has a rich mythological history and like many flowers finds inspiration in Greek mythology. The Greek Goddess, Iris was thought to be the link between the God and earth and the personification of the magical rainbow. In ancient Greece, purple Irises were planted on women’s graves so that the Goddess Iris would accompany them on their journey to heaven.

Interestingly, some Iris varieties have long been used to make perfumes as well as alcoholic beverages such as gin. Bombay Sapphire for example contains ‘Orris root’ taken from the rhizomes of the Iris Germanica and the Iris pallida to give flavour and colour to the drink.  For perfumes aged Iris rhizomes are steam-distilled to create an ‘Orris oil’ which is said to create a scent similar to Violets. Many perfumes available now contain Iris absolue and you’ll find it in scents from Chanel to Prada and Serge Lutens. The production of Iris oil is pretty complicated and uses rhizomes of flowers that have already grown for at least three years before harvesting. This makes it an expensive oil to produce and it takes an incredible 40,000 tons of rhizomes to make only 1 kg of iris absolute! 

Explore 

The L’Occitaine Garden at Chelsea Flower Show

This year the French natural beauty brand L’Occitane celebrates their 40 year anniversary at the Chelsea Flower Show. The brand have teamed up with renowned Gold medallist Garden Designer James Basson for the second year in a row to celebrate the brands humble beginnings and the beauty of the harsh environment of the Provence. Basson has designed the garden around the edge of a Lavender field, so quintessentially Provençal, and looks out over rolling hills and stunted woodlands. A gentle stream runs through the woodlands and the design takes into account the many native growing plants that are local to the area, in fact over three hundred different native plants from the Provence will be used to create a garden that is a true representation of the area, something this South of France based designer and his team do so wonderfully. The Chelsea Flower Show runs from the 24 – 28 May 2016 for more info go to www.rhs.org.uk or see James website scapedesign.com for more

Leonie Loves 

Iris bleu & Iris blanc

At the age of 23, Olivier Baussan started to distill Rosemary essential oils for sale at a locale Provence market. This was the start of a brand that even today is synonymous with the charm and beauty of the Provence region. From a humble market stall to over 2,700 stores in the world L’Occitane remembers its origins and has many products based on native French plants. Native Lavender and Grasse Rose feature in many products and the Iris blue & Iris blanc is a lovely fragrance which uses the velvety, powdery fragrance of the Grasse Iris to create a mild yet fruity Iris perfume. The Iris in the perfume is sourced from Anne Dor’s nursery in Val d’Iris in Grasse and interestingly the scent combines the floral scent of the white Iris florentina from the Mediterranean with the sweet intensity of the blue Iris Pallida from Grasse. Fascinating. 

Iris bleu & Iris blanc is available at L’Occitane stores nationwide as well as selected stockists. For more visit loccitane.com.

 

One plant that I love using for so may different reasons is the Rosemary plant (Rosmarinus officinalis). This wonderful kitchen herb is known to most people as a herb to add to cooking. Perfect with Lamb, chicken, roasts, fish and potatoes this herb is so versatile in the kitchen and goes well with almost everything. The thing it is known best for in the kitchen is adding that Mediterranean flavour to everything from a barbacue to soups.

The word Rosemary comes from the words ‘Ros’ meaning dew and Marinus’ meaning the sea. This bushy perennial is native to the Mediterranean region and in its native habitat grows wild all over rocky cliffs and does amazingly well on rocky slopes along coastlines.

Rosemary as well as Lavender, Thyme and Sage are all so well suited to the dry summers of the Mediterranean and thrive in poor soil with plenty of drainage.  Here in Ireland growing Rosemary can be tricky and it is vital to find the right spot for it. I have seen it doing absolutely brilliantly in certain places and then also failing miserably in other locations. Basically, the best spot is the dry sloped south facing bank, where there is no build up of moisture. This will also prevent the roots freezing in Winter, which can kill the plant.

I am particularly fond of this evergreen, edible herb for its wonderful scented structural qualities in the garden. I love that you can shape rosemary into hedges and one of my favourite ways of using it in garden design is using the plant to form soft overspilling structural hedges at the borders of perennial beds. I also love planting them in pretty containers which allows you to bring them under cover in the Winter months.

Apart from its benefits in the culinary world and in the garden this plant has many medicinal qualities. When you crush the leaves of the plant they release volatile chemicals and the strong scent of camphor and pine is instantly recognizable.

Ancient Greek and Roman and Arab herbalists used this herb for many health ailments. One main one was the a rosemary conditioner which not only conditioned the hair but was also said to prevent baldness. To this day you can find Rosemary oil in many beauty treatments from Shampoos to face creams and bath oils.  This is a true testament to the amazing properties that Rosemary has within it’s woody stems and waxy leaves.

The leaves contain a certain phyto-chemical compound that are aid to prevent diseases and promote health while the flower tops in particular contain a phenolic anti-oxidant which are said to have rubefacient or counter-irritant properties, making the oil anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and anti-septic.

The oil which is released is perfect for using as a beauty oil or as an ingredient in a face mask. The oils contain a wide array of nutrients such as vitamins, antioxidants, iron and calcium and are a great way of treating tired or irritated skin.

Rosemary is also said to be the herb of memory and are said to quicken the mind and prevent forgetfulness. Interestingly compounds isolated from the Rosemary and Spearmint plant were shown to boost memory and learning in certain behavioural tests making it very relevant to those suffering from dementia and Alzheimers. Certainly, many side-effects of this illness can be treated with potent essential oils and Rosemary oil is said to be very beneficial in uplifting mood, stimulating the mind and combating the signs of depression.

So you can see why I love this herb…from cooking to borders and even to combating depression. This versatile shrub is a must in every garden.

Beauty Tip

Rosemary and Himilayan Salt Scrub

Rosemary is another shrub that looks particularly well in the colder months of the year. Its shiny leaves are a wonderful shade of green in the Winter garden and the scent  on a sunny day is wonderful. The oil which is released in Rosemary when it is crushed is perfect for using as a beauty oil or as an ingredient in a face mask. The oils contain a wide array of nutrients such as vitamins, antioxidants, iron and calcium and are a great way of treating tired or irritated skin.

Ancient Greek and Roman and Arab herbalists used this herb for many health ailments. One main one was the a rosemary conditioner which not only conditioned the hair but was also said to prevent baldness. To this day you can find Rosemary oil in many beauty treatments from Shampoos to face creams and bath oils.  This is a true testament to the amazing properties that Rosemary has within it’s woody stems and waxy leaves.

I like to mix a dollop of coconut oil with a few spoons of Himilayan salt and some crushed Rosemary for an easy beauty scrub. You can also leave it on as a mask but as the oil tends to melt make sure you have a towel underneath.