Artisan Distilled Hydrosols and Natural Perfume

my life is fragrance

Way way back in the 60's, it was put to me (by my parents) that I could not be a hippie, but I could be a flower child...so here I am!
But my parents were actually great parents; from my dad I picked up the love of being in nature, experimenting (he was a chemist); and on down a few more years he taught me the craft of distilling. Somewhere around the age of 11, I made some incense from a punk stick soaked in alcohol and the fragrant wild plum blossoms from our yard. Yes, it had plum scent when it burned! This memory has retained its sharp focus.
My parents were both also artists, so I grew up breathing beauty; it was like the oxygen in our home atmosphere. I picked up the unconscious habit of incorporating something into my life only if it had inherent Grace. This guide has given me a beautiful, appreciative life.

Growing fragrant plants has been something I have done for over 35 years and have hauled one special rose species 5 times across the country. Wherever I land and pause for a while, my collection spreads from the doorstep; inside and out.
As the Zodiac tracks its way across the heavens I am harvesting from my perfume garden & fields and woods beyond; sweet violettes, citrus blossoms, camellias, narcissus, muguet, honeysuckle, spice bush, lilac, dianthus, roses, peonies, lilies, ginger flower, evening primrose, witch hazel and more for the processes of distillation, salt paste, enfleurage & tinctures.

You can follow my adventures of soggy feet & sticky fingers
as I look for fragrance at its source; from the flowers.
http://jardinparfum.blogspot.com

As an incorrigible romantic, I insist that where I end up has to take the authentic route; in the case of my fragrances, starting at the very beginning from my Perfume Garden. In the Garden I go to great lengths raising perfume plants grown in the early days of  the French & Italian perfume industry; Parma Violets and Citrus Blossoms, not to mention centifolia & bourbon Roses.



I use many traditional methods such as enfleurage and salt paste and I take the time to hand remove the caylyx from each individual blossom (as this can add bitterness); some of my flowers pass through a mortar & pestle on their way to the still where they are gently distilled into Flower Waters that are in demand world-wide.

I have always appreciated the fragrance coming straight from a flower's throat far more than any concocted perfume, even a natural one. To me, the contrivance is artificial compared to the pure note funneled from heaven through a flower.

My 'flower crèmes' are the darlings closest to my heart..but even I feel inspired to play at the perfumer's bench; which is much akin to writing a musical score.
I add layers of notes thoughtfully over a period of time & my palette consists of the highest quality oils, absolutes & concretes; often making my own tinctures directly from my own flowers or vintage resins & woods.

I also am enthralled by the interplay of scent & psyche, as exemplified by my dream crème.

 

Sweet Violettes

 

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Drying Rose Petals WLA

"What other planet smells of roses?"
Pam Brown

scent@dabney-rose.com