I am so embarrassed

Somehow my day just completely got away from me, and now I have to go to yoga class, won’t get back until late, and no time to do any sort of proper review to anything.  I am so sorry!

First, the winners of the last drawing I had for the sample of the Bond No. 9 Brooklyn are:  Arwen, pavlova, Amanda, Maitrey, Cheryl, dogloverinnm, and Joe.  Just hit the contact Us button over on the left and remind me that it’s a sample of Brooklyn that you’ve won.

I’m waiting for that Serge Cellophane thing to show up and the Hermessence Vanille Galant, so I sorta have my nose out of joint waiting for some things to sniff, and nothing else seems to jump out at me to even try and do a quick review on, and I can’t wear anything to yoga and report back later.

What I am doing is gardening shopping. I’ve got my new roses picked out for the revamped backyard, some old vintage roses with strong, overpowering scents.  I’ve ordered a Wisteria tree. Who knew?  I don’t want the vine, which kills everything in its path, but the tree looks promising.  Check back with me next year, and I’ll tell you if my fence is still intact.  Also got carpets of lavender coming and a ton of big old bearded iris from Schreiner, who has the most beautiful irises I’ve ever seen. All of those are planted around the pond/waterfall.

It just seems almost like spring, doesn’t it?  So please chime in on what are your spring perfume plans or other scented garden plans.  And if you comment, you’ll go in the draw for a sample of the new Hermessence Vanille Galante. I may even do a few entries.  It’s my very contrite apology for my very poor planning!

  • Joe says:

    Many thanks for the Brooklyn sample — may I be greedy and enter the Vanille Galante draw also?

    Spring plans? I’m trying to trim back on my perfume buying: the collection is getting so big that I’m making an effort to enjoy what I already own, including samples and decants. I’m sure I’ll buy something. I have my eye on the 50ml Pucci Vivara Variazione – Sole/Yellow. I’m also damn curious about Cellophane, so I might go for a sample of that and a few other things, but I’m really trying to hold off on FBs.

    As for gardening: I rent and have a screen porch that I fill with containers, but I plant out in the front yard too and no one seems to mind. I’m thinking of putting in a small Bay Laurel tree, and I’ve been trying to get a carpet of morning glories going in one corner of the yard — they can do well out here but I think they may need more water than I can give them in our desert-like conditions.

  • maitreyi1978 says:

    I can’t have a garden, but I do intend to start growing herbs in pots. How’s that? Also, I intend to finally get a bottle of Lolita Lempicka. I’ve loved it for years and used so many samples.
    The vanille galant would be nice.

  • Justine says:

    My spring plans are tomatos (I’m setting my bar fairly low, I know). After a few years of gorgeous fruit, last summer yielded large plants with little fruit. And, I do not believe too much nitrogen is the problem. Rather, we had mild temps, with big spikes…and those big spikes often caused the blossoms to drop. So, I’ll give it another go.

    I’d enjoy trying the Vanille Galant too.

  • LindaB says:

    Ahhh, I’m happy that so many are getting as impatient as I am for Spring! I have been perusing so many gardening catalogs and websites and have yet to make any concrete decisions. I may go out on a limb this year and plant bamboo in the way backyard. I’m afraid of the spread though. Hmmmm…. Aside from that, will definitely be adding to my peonies and making some additions to the butterfly garden that I started last year. I love the hope of Spring! I know I will be seeing my crocus very soon.

    Being pregnant has completely screwed with my sense of smell and most scents are just too strong lately or I’m smelling things that shouldn’t be there. Very strange. I’ve been sticking to light florals which is soooo not me. sigh.

    Would appreciate being included in the draw for the Vanille Galant–thank you!

  • Jan V says:

    First, do not feel embarrassed….I’m in awe of you for posting such entertaining and informative essays, pretty much day after day! It’s my pre-bedtime indulgence to come here and read your posts-though it does tend to feed my relatively neophytic but pretty much full blown obsession!!

    I’m not a gardener but grew up loving the gardens my parents had. In perfumes, I pretty much avoid the florals, that is, until today when I spritzed on my sample of Incense Rose’. Until now I truly only wanted to smell roses in their native form, not on me. What a wonderful surprise; I can’t stop sniffing it, it’s such a sophisticated complex scent!

    Oh, and I’d love to try that Vanilla Galant! Thanks..

  • Nancy says:

    Being on the other side of the world season-wise, the tame glories of spring are half a year away. Floods to the north and bush fires to the south, I’m a lucky person to live in Sydney. A hot January killed most of my cultivated plants while we were away on holiday (the weeds flourished, of course) but the lavender and chilies survived. I do miss how renewing spring can be after a cold winter. I have, because of this blog, started exploring musk (I’ll send you the bill). I must have worn something appalling while going to university, as even the word “musk” made me shudder. Last week while buying a birthday gift for a friend at Kiehl’s, I decided to live life on the edge and sprayed some of their musk on, and hey presto! An hour later I noticed a whiff of something wonderful, and it came from me! What a revelation! I am now mooning about the DSH website deciding what formulation of Special Formula X to buy: oil roll on or spray perfume. Any recommendations? Any other musk suggestions? Please also include me in on the draw, Vanilla is really an autumn scent you know….;)

  • QuinnCreative says:

    Patty, I would love to see those heirloom roses. My tomatoes got whacked by a late frost, (for us, here on the Sonoran desert floor) but we did get a few tomatoes. We picked 600 lemons from one tree two weeks ago and made limoncello and froze juice for lemonade before we took the rest to the food bank. The orange tree and grapefruit tree are budding, and the lavender plants I planted in fall are OK for now. The rosemary plants will eventually make a hedge. The albino female Gila woodpecker drinks out of the hummingbird feeder and may build a nest in the trunk of the palm.

    I’d love to celebrate with Vanilla Galant!

  • Sweet Sue says:

    I adore fuschia peonies as well as the pastel.
    But, then, I love Mitsouko and Fracas.

  • Janell says:

    I love Hermes and would like to smell this. Please put me in the draw.

  • Katrina in Oregon says:

    With spring around the corner, I’m getting a hankering for Apres L’ondee. Also, I bought Carthusia Mediterraneo in December, but I haven’t even sprayed it once, I am saving it for spring. We just had a dusting of snow this week, but it does seem like spring is almost here, every time the sun comes out.

    As for the garden, soon I’ll have violets all over the place. Right now, daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths are coming up. In the herb department, there’s chocolate mint, pineapple mint, peppermint, spearmint, rosemary, oregano, sage, and a bay tree. There’s LABDANUM aka cistus, which I’ve always loved for it’s smell, but never knew it was used in perfume. I have red cedars and pines, but my favorite tree is the incense cedar, which I selected mainly for it’s scent. I’ve got some old garden roses, and lots of lavender. Can’t wait! (please enter me in the drawing, thank you!):x

  • Cheri says:

    It’s rainy season here in Northern CA. I usually wait until the end of March to do any serious gardening because any flowers I plant will die immediately from too much water. We’ve gone from little or no rain to several inches in a few days!
    My plans are to transplant some slightly fragrant mini roses into the ground and plant some basil, sage, and rosemary. In March, I will be planting heirloom tomatoes.
    My Julia Child yellow rose plant is doing well and I look forward to it’s beautiful blooms in late May.

    I would love to be in the drawing to sample the Vanille Galante!

  • Charlotte_V says:

    I’m not a gardener, but I’m looking forward to April’s profusion of jasmine on the fences and in the alleyways here in Austin. The Official Perfume of Jasmine Month: A La Nuit.

    Please enter me in the draw!

  • Pantera Lilly says:

    It’s lovely here in Los Angeles, cool weather, fluffy white clouds and I can see the snow on the mountains from my desk. I’m not much of a grower of things, but really do love those perfumes. I called the Hermes boutique in Beverly Hills and was told that the Vanille Galant would be in late February. Would love to get a sample prior to that, so please enter me!

  • Kate says:

    Garden shopping is one of those activities that will always rival perfume shopping! In the UK at the moment, we’re in the grip of an unusually cold winter so I really can’t get out into the garden, but I’m having an almost nicer time poring over websites and catalogues thinking about those big fat mid-summer flowers and all those lovely smells; roses, dahlias (not scented, but worth it..), tobacco plants, jasmine, sweet peas and lavender. I can’t my nose into spring mode just yet tho’ – I’m hunkering down with DC Black Cashmere for the next few weeks..

    Post some pics of those iris, Patty, once they hit their stride! The lavender swathes sound lovely as well.

  • March says:

    Bless your heart. Hey, hearing y’all are getting Cellophane is all the good news I need. Now I just need to wait for its arrival… :-w

  • Gretchen says:

    “Watching the fruits of someone else’s labors”– I’ll take Natalie’s approach to spring gardening. Meanwhile I’m wearing no.5 in this welcome California rain (may it continue for two months!), but I’d love to try Vanille Galante.

  • Liesl says:

    Well, it’ll be cold in the Great Northwest for another month and a half…then it’ll rain for another month. Spring doesn’t really get started around here until May, but the flowers all power their way through March freezes anyway.

    As of yet, there are no daffodil shoots in sight, and no one I know plants crocuses (hey, maybe I will, next year!)

    All this cold means is that I can wear my gourmands longer! 🙂

  • violetnoir says:

    Not a problem at all, Patty darling. I hope you enjoyed your yoga class!

    I admit I am more of a Fall person than a Spring one. But I am looking forward to testing all of the promising new releases coming our way in the next few months, including VG, Un Matin d’Orage, Cellophane, PdN#2, and Emotionelle.

    Thank you for putting me into the drawing for VG!

    Hugs!

  • Sherya says:

    Hi,

    Here in Ohio — the sun’s finally shining!! which is a good thing as many are without power from last night’s big windstorm. Gardens seem a long way off, but I enjoyed reading everyone’s posts – can’t wait!!

    For Spring, I’m getting my Hermes Kelly Calache back out after wearing Chergui and Un Bois Vanille this winter.

    Thank you for putting me in the drawing!

  • Gwyneth says:

    I’d love to try the Vanilla Galante – please enter me in the draw.

    Also, I am an adorer of roses — always on the hunt for very fragrant ones (no surprise there, duh?) What are some of your favorite varieties. Thanks.

  • Karen G says:

    I’m supposed to be heading off to yoga class as well. But I’m not quite over this flu, so think I’ll skip it.
    Spring? Spring seems a long way off where I live. It’s currently snowing, on top off the foot or so that’s already on the ground. I did see a robin yesterday, poor thing, don’t know what it’s thinking, showing up here so early. Spring perfume plans…well I have a bottle of OJ Woman winging it’s way to me as we speak. So excited about that! Seems perfect for Spring, or just about any other time you can think of. Looking forward to wearing my decants of Bel Respiro and La Pausa.

    Your garden sounds like it will be lovely. I only grow tomatoes, garlic, some herbs, lavender. Plus some flowers on the deck. After I finish mowing a half acre of grass, there’s not much energy left for any other gardening.

    Thanks for putting me in the draw!

  • kealle says:

    My “garden” consists of a tiny balcony, a gazillion containers, some curious pigeon onlookers and a whole lot of hope. Last year I managed to eke out basil, shiso, nasturtiums, strawberries, sweet peppers and a gorgeous cascade of scarlet runner beans. I don’t know what this year will bring, but my scented indulgence will be marigolds. Am I the only one who loves the fragrance of marigolds?

    • Tommasina says:

      K, no you’re not; I love the fragrance of marigolds. Wish there were a perfume which included it… Would love to have seen your cascade of runner beans!

  • Tommasina says:

    Patty, I have no personal plans right now but am imagining my multifarious varieties of narcissi blooming madly away in the front garden, completely ignored by our ‘mowing the lawn is the only real gardening’ house sitter. (Poor guy: we *have* no lawn since I dug it all over and planted roses, peonies, and other shrubs and perennials where it used to be.) Here, in my mother’s unofficial strip of garden in France (it technically belongs to the Mairie but she’s hoping to buy it from them), there are clumps of beautiful, fragrant snowdrops – the only outdoor-smelling plants around here right now.

    It’s cold; I’m drinking lots of mint + licorice herbal tea; eating too much white chocolate with vanilla + caramelized coconut; and testing Lalique Le Parfum, which goes wonderfully with the chocolate (and yes, I know white is not really chocolate; but hey – I like it!) and Amethyst, which doesn’t, but I like that, too. I sprayed on millions of squirts of each in Beauty Success down in the Big Town just now, with the excuse that my skin eats perfume and I need that many just to have it last until we get back to the village. Not that anyone was asking.

    I bet Vanille Galante would go beautifully with Le Parfum; please enter me in the draw :d

    • Natalie says:

      Is that white chocolate with vanilla and caramelized coconut something that one can buy somewhere on this earth? Because I think such a substance might just end my search for eternal bliss. (P.S. My chocolate-snob father threatens to disown me whenever I so much as mention “white chocolate,” but I love the stuff too!)

      • Tommasina says:

        Natalie, it’s found at the supermarket in the Big Town nearest my mother’s village in South West France. Do you feel yourself in need…?/:)

        • Natalie says:

          So not exactly around the corner, huh? Ah well, one day when I’m feeling flush and you’re visiting mom, perhaps we can work something out! Until then, I’ll be here, drooling.

          • Tommasina says:

            But I *am* visiting: staying until end of March after my father’s death…

          • Natalie says:

            Ah, but I am feeling whatever the opposite of “flush” is… wan? Anemic? Broke, that’s the word! I’m so sorry about your father; you take care of your mother and don’t worry about my foodie fantasies for now (sorry, too, for the tardy reply).

          • Tommasina says:

            No worries on tardy reply. Go to MUA, mail me there, and we’ll see what I can do to assuage your fantasies (sounds bad; you know what I mean, though!) No worries, either, on your being wan, anaemic, or otherwise broke. Looking forward to your message…

  • Natalie says:

    At first glance I interpreted “I can’t wear anything to yoga” as… naked yoga?! And I thought, geez, Patty’s into some pretty kinky exercise… that would bring a whole new dimension to Downward Dog.

    I didn’t inherit my mother’s amazing green thumb, I’m afraid, but I do love seeing the fruits of everyone else’s labors, and I’m checking every day for snowdrops and witch hazel!

    Would love to be entered into the drawing — thank you so much.

  • Disteza says:

    My spring garden plans involve getting the herb garden up running so we don’t have to spend quite so much $$$ on them at the grocery store (which I squarely blame on my husband’s love of cooking Moroccan and Indian food). I also plan to rehabilitate the poor indoor orange tree, which hasn’t bloomed in a year due to my inexperienced pruning and putting off the re-potting. I’d love to be entered in the draw; finally an Hermessence I haven’t smelled!

    • Disteza says:

      Duh, I totally forgot about the perfume end of this–have been on an Olene binge what with the freakishly warm weather here in the DC metro area (narcissus+wisteria=springtime!), and have been anxiously awaiting Cellophane along with all the other SL freaks. I also started re-examining Parfums D’Empire–am trying to get one more warmish day to see what happens with Equistrius(sp?).

  • mj says:

    My scented garden plans involve tending my irises, planting basil and other herbs, looking for my missing lily-of-the-valley and possibly replacing it… And looking into getting a lilac or two.

  • Eileen says:

    My gardening urge has really been heightened by the unseasonable spring weather we’ve had lately. The past couple years have been focused on more major changes to the house we bought, moving some bushes and getting some dying trees removed. THIS year will be the fun one — perennials, annuals, and all! Right now, I’m considering scented ground covers for a small backyard area — creeping thyme, low growing dianthus, violets and lily of the valley.

    Fragrance-wise, I’m uncharacteristically thinking of a white floral for spring, something in the line of PdN Odalisque. Why? I don’t know, but the urge is there.

    Please include me in the draw!

  • mijita says:

    Vegetables! Tomatoes. More tomatoes. Basil, thyme, rosemary, fennel, artemisia, all that good stuff.

    please enter me in the drawing; I love vanilla

  • Lora says:

    We do a fairly large vegetable garden, which my husband starts from seed in pots in the basement. We’ve been planning what we want to plant. The green beans were miserable last year, so we’ll probably skip those and just buy them at the market. 🙂 But eggplant, tomatoes, pumpkins, carrots, all do well. I also always do tulips in the front of the house – they’re just so cheerful!

  • Kristin says:

    I’m in Chicagoland, and unfortunately we usually skip from winter to summer! I revamped my garden last year but always include nicotania (white is my favorite), and will try to find some decent heliotrope. Thinking I’ll try a mainly white and blue palette this year- went crazy with color last season and need a change this summer. Looking forward to sampling some iris, and hay scents…Anyone think DSH blond suede would work? or is it to “fallish”. Love to be entered in the drawing….Have fun with your gardening-so jealous! Kristin

  • Olfacta says:

    Here in Atlanta we’re having a false Spring, which is common — a week of 70 degrees bookended by cold on the left and storms on the right. But no matter. I’m thawing out, pruning trees and bushes, dividing some perennials (ok I should’ve done that last fall.) And I finally yanked out that aphid-encrusted diseased Hybrid Tea yellow rose that had no smell and never did perform, to be replaced with a David Austin golden rose and an Austin white/buff rose (to replace a stunted gardenia) by the front door,which is supposed to smell like myrrh. I’m still not sure what our unusually cold winter killed, or if the squirrels left any of the species tulips bulbs I planted last fall. I’m going to order a few black-eyed susan shrubs for the front bed, and then we’ll see what else might have to be replaced. The daffodils are coming up, all of them, bless them — squirrels hate them.

    Pretty much done with the ambers and spices. I plan to wear lots of Chypre this spring, maybe order something based on orange blossom, and look forward to spraying lots of light herb/citrus things — generously — in our steambath summer. I’m trying to decide between two Rosines — Diablo (mint) or Zeste (citrus) for later.

    I would love to try the Vanille — thanks!

    • Tommasina says:

      Which is the myrrh-smelling Austin? I thought of Buff Beauty when I read that but am not sure it’s an Austin. I love his deep-yellow Graham Thomas, along with pale, primrose-yellow The Pilgrim, both highly scented. They get black spot, yes, but they are very beautiful and attract plenty of comments – along with bees and butterflies! I’ve had hopes, in previous years, of species tulips’ surviving the extremes of temperatures, but they never seem to. Or maybe, as for you, it’s the work of squirrels, instead?

  • Mals says:

    It’s still cold here in the VA mountains: no daffs or tulips yet. Well, maybe my crocuses have poked through the dead grass; I’ll have to check. I’m wearing my Chanel No. 19 today and longing for green.

    Can not wait for my clematis to start the growing season. I’ve got two enormous white ones that pretty much take over the porch supports by the end of the summer, as well as some little lavender ones and a Nellie Moser.

    I don’t have any irises yet! Must get some from my mother when she divides hers — including some of the mauve ones that came from my grandmother’s place. I had some at our old house but didn’t transplant them when we moved because it was the wrong time of year. (Must check out Schreiner’s, too. LOVE irises.)
    This yard was pasture 6 years ago, and I’m still battling red clay dirt…

    Please add me to the drawing. Thanks!

    • Tommasina says:

      Ah – you’re in VA – not so far from me, then, as the crow flies…
      My yard was also red clay, but 7 years ago for me, not 6. It’s a swine to dig, isn’t it? Do you have the grey stuff underneath, too? Stinks to high heaven!
      My parents grew about 60 varieties of clematis in the garden of the house where I grew up: Nelly Moser was one at the back, by the kitchen window, along with Daniel Deronda. I bought a couple of what were supposed to be Henryi (big white ones) for my front porch a few years back; but Costo had mislabeled them and they turned out to be The President, or some other beautiful, deep purple, and I’m so glad: they scramble through an enormous, pale shell-pink, Rosa New Dawn and Weigela florida variegata; and the color combination is SO much better than if they *had* been the big Henryi. Funny how that goes.
      I wish I’d been able to bring so many of the plants I had in my gardens in England and in Ireland: I had cuttings and actual plants from friends and from my mother’s and grandmothers’ gardens; but US regulations are such that, of course, I had to leave them all there. So sad: I’d have loved a real ‘heirloom’ garden. Mind you, many of them wouldn’t have ‘done’ in our wildly-differing NC climate, so maybe it’s just as well.

  • vidalicious says:

    And I’m planning an elementary school reunion! How weird is that, to see people from DECADES, almost centuries, ago (won’t mention how many!) Looking forward to the new cellophane thing and Vanille, they sound like something I’d love to wear around old friends!

  • Marsi says:

    I’m so jealous of your yard. I am in a rowhouse, the smallness of which I love, and have no control over my yard due to our HOA, which I do not love. I would love to have roses and ivy climbing up the face of my house.

    Please enter me in the drawing.

  • Connie says:

    I have the perfect excuse for my lack of gardening skills … I moved to a condominium last year so no gardening for me. Just as well, really, because having lived in houses most of my life did not do anything to augment any poor plant or flower’s chance of thriving, alas. My mother, however, is Ms. Green Thumb and I do love going over to her house and see her really enjoying herself in the dirt. 🙂

    I haven’t done yoga in so long, Patty, but you are inspiring me to start looking into classes once again. Have a lovely day.:):)

  • Melissa says:

    After a foot surgery two years ago that made it difficult to garden on the hilly terrain of our yard, I am ready to hire a crew to do the heavy lifting. Serious rehab is in order. Because of the hills, I have concentrated on shrubs, groundcovers and small trees, with shrub roses, daylilies, irises and spreading perennials mixed in for punches of color. The narcissus beds (all white and white/apricot varieties) are showing serious signs of life and I am gazing wistfully at them. Gardening fever must be returning to my life.

    As for fragrances? I favor winter scents, but I think that I will enjoy floral aldehydes, a Malle or two, a few Montale ouds, and a couple of white and other florals. PdN Number One comes to mind. I look forward to trying Vanille Gallante (yes, please enter me in the draw) and Nuit de Cellophane.

    Oh and good luck with the wisteria tree. I have seen beautiful pictures of them in garden catalogs. Tempting, but out of place in my hilly yard!

  • spring_pansy says:

    Your garden sounds great – need to work on mine. No roses here, but lots of daffodils. Wearing Bois de Paradis today which fits for winter/spring, IMO. Please do enter me in the drawing for the VG – that and the Cellophane seem to be the talk of mua!

  • Silvia says:

    Urban top floor flat girl here, so a garden, balcony or even a windowbox are a dream… but I enjoy reading of your flower shopping spree, puts me in a good mood.

    This spring I look forward to PdN Le Temps d’Une Fete, 31 Rue Cambon (wearing that today), MDCI Rose de Siwa and want lots of violets. Also hope El Attarine will work well in the warmer weather.

  • karin says:

    Hi Patty! Roses sound wonderful…wish I had a green thumb. I contribute my inability to garden with my not having grown up around anyone who gardened. Too bad, cause my grandmother was an incredible gardener…but she passed away when I was young. I watched my mom cook every night, so somehow I learned to cook through osmosis. But gardening? No. I need to take a class or something!!! I’m embarrassed to say what our yard looks like. As for spring perfumes, I’m looking forward to Nicolai Le Temps d’Une Fete. Haven’t worn it all winter. We still have quite a bit of snow on the ground here in Maine…but last Thursday I saw a ROBIN!!!! And it’s been balmy (in the 40’s) for the past week. Spring is coming!!! I may even splurge on Odalisque (though I’ve been craving a bottle of Sacrebleu – not exactly a spring scent).

  • Rappleyea says:

    Patty,
    No need to apologize! In fact, you should have just made this a gardening post and acted like you had planned it all along! LOL! Schreiners is my favorite. And being in the horse business, I always thought it was cool that they had so many irises named after horses, etc. And if you ever run into a rose called Dolly Parton, go for it! A beautiful deep coral pink and a single bloom will scent most of a house. The blooms are gigundous, hence the name!

    Alas, I’m in a condo now, so no big gardening plans. I learned the hard way last year when I planted hostas at my entrance, that chipmunks LOVE hosta shoots, so I never actually got any to grow.

    Winter is roaring back in here (literally – winds last night to 60 mph!) but when spring DOES get here, it will bring out my favorite Guerlain – Chamade.

  • Jacki says:

    My daffodils are peeking up through the ground, a good four inches or so. It seems all my friends have tulips that are starting to appear as well. I’ve been very anxious to see mine and so far only the hint of one is coming up. I will be sorely ticked if I’ve planted 100 bulbs and I only get one!
    I should probably mention I’m in Dallas so we aren’t *too* worried about a hard freeze anymore.
    All that said I can’t decide what scent to wear to work today…

  • Leslie says:

    Thanks for the source on iris; I think that the iris/perfume craze of the last year may influence my garden this year. That’s about as far as my planning has come. Well, that and some new Austin roses. And maybe some boxwoods or yews in the front…and need to research more fragrant plants…

    Would love to be in the drawing!

    • Tommasina says:

      Leslie,
      Which Austins? Ooh, I love those! And love the smell of box: it’s mediaeval to me, possibly bcs of the National Trust houses and gardens I was dragged around as a small child

  • Kim says:

    no garden so no garden plans. but oh, those perfume plans!!
    Totally enamoured of Guerlain’s Angelique Noire 😡
    I just can’t get enough of that marvelous, sharp initial bitterness that fades into creamy vanilla. Somehow the initial bitter greeness seems so spring-like to me, and the vanilla fades into a softness that reminds me of soft spring rain.
    I have also fallen for iris scents and find myself craving Chanel 28 La Pausa and Luten’s Silver Iris. Since the Luten’s is non-export, it’s the Chanel that is on my buy-list. Wonder if I’ll fold in the store and also get 31 Rue Cambon instead/also- I can never refuse a good chypre. :d

  • Lee says:

    I have so much work to do in the garden it’s untrue. The allotment is going to have lavender lining the paths; the garden at the house has a lusher, cottage garden visits the jungle feel. My inner gaylord is telling me to buy some peony crowns…

    Man, I need to smell that VG.

    • Tommasina says:

      Lee, yes, you *must* get some peony crowns: Sara Bernhardt, if nobody else…

      • Mals says:

        OHHHHHH yes, we must have the Sarah Bernhardt. I adore sticking my nose in that one; angels must smell like that.
        I have three of that variety but I’m thinking of planting some other varieties. Any ideas? The parameters: must be bush peony(not tree), must smell divine, and must be white to light pink to medium pink. No hot pinks or reds… I don’t have a clue why, but I don’t like bright peonies.

        • Tommasina says:

          Mals,

          I’m also against bright peonies. I’d have a ‘watercolor’ garden, if I could; but I have no space for such self-undulgence. Besides, the NC spring-into-summer glare can be unkind to paler things.

          Shame you can’t do tree peonies: I’d have suggested P. suffruticosa Kinkaku Golden Temple of Nara + / or Renkaku as pale beauties (dunno about smell: this is all photo lust on my part. well, that and the descriptions on ForestFarm’s web site – not affiliated but I darn well wish I were). So what about P. lactiflora Shirley Temple, Festiva Maxima, and / or Bowl of Beauty? Hang on – not sure the last is what I mean – BoB is pink isn’t it, with a ‘bowl’ of golden stamens. Hmm. Sure there’s a white one like that, but I can’t think what it’s called, sorry. Anyone else?

          (Btw, I’m intrigued by your name and wondering if, by any chance, it’s anything to do with a program at Duke University…)

    • Kim says:

      Is that seriously a question? I would have an entire garden of peonies and roses if I could! So you will get no discouragement from me – especially if you get scented peonies. Sigh. And try some tree peonies too!

  • zazie33 says:

    Hi! My spring plans perfume wise are leather (just fell in love with cuir ottoman and want more of that kind of naughty-golden stuff ;)!) and roses (well a basket full of spices, woods, candied fruits, citrus, …). I’m planning to walk around for some serious sniffing (warm weather helps: colds never allow to sniff properly, don’t they?).
    Like Trish I’m waiting for my camelia to bloom – and please enter me in the draw: love JCE’s creations!

  • Trish/Pikake says:

    Spring perfume plans are to get my hands on samples of the new SIP trio and try some Liz Zorn fragrances. Can’t wait for my camellia to bloom. I have a beautiful light pink one on the side of house. Soooo lovely!:)

    Please enter me in the draw por favor[-o<

  • Klara says:

    It is so beautiful today. Here, in my Office I have the direct view to the main square and it is lovely. Oh, and I am Wering Rosa Flamenca by Rosine.
    Please enter me in the draw!

  • zeram1 says:

    I’m thinking of starting up my orchids once again, yet they are quite difficult to maintain. Where do you plan on getting your roses (via catalog, locally, etc)? I’d love to be in the drawing as well.

  • Eva says:

    OK well over here on the other side of the globe am totally over the fresh/citrus/floral fragrance offerings of summer and am HANGING out for something warm, rich and luscious to dowse myself in. And Vanilla Galante could be a wonderful addition :d
    Patty those vintage roses are just truly divine!
    PS how is that fab new haircut comig along? xx

  • Bryan says:

    Patty,
    Here in Kansas City, I’m just hoping the bulbs don’t start coming up…it’s been so ridiculously warm on and off here (not that I’d EVER complain about that). We notoriously have to deal with flowers blooming early, getting zapped by an eventual freeze, and then going all Spring without flowers. It sucks.
    Pretty please drop my name in the vanille galante drawing.
    Love you,
    Bryan:x

  • Catherine says:

    My spring perfume plan is simple: watch for a new release (I hope) by Mona di Orio. It seems that one comes in March or so, and I’m saving all my nickels and dimes for it. Plus Nuit Noire, because my bottle is almost empty. As for gardening, I’m just going to enjoy the spring rush of daffodils and tulips and violets.

    I’d love to be in the drawings.

  • Sara K says:

    My gardening has been restricted the last few days since we’ve finally started receiving some real rain (I am in CA, and we’ll probably have another drought year). Mainly I’ve just been preparing the beds and doing other garden maintenance.

    I’d love to be in the drawing for Hermessence Vanille Galante!

  • Jan L. says:

    My azaleas are about to burst into big splashy blooms (I’m here in the Deep South, where winter lasts for about eight days:) and periwinkles (my favorites) aren’t far behind. I’m considering trying my hand at mint, thyme, and other herbs, and now might be a good excuse to add a banana tree or two to my becoming-green-again back yard.

    Time for Jicky, Vent Vert, and even my vintage bottle of Ambush. Hermessence Vanille Galante would be a lovely addition….