Hermes Une Jardin Sur la Lagune

Summer very soon and boy is the honeysuckle outperforming this year.

The deluge receded and we’ve had lovely weather, during which I had the fun time of getting the braces installed (glue, bracket, wire, tighten) on my lower teeth. IMHO, really, braces are only really meant for the early teenage years when they don’t bother you or you are oblivious to pain/irritation. It’s a bit better after a week, and having figured out the best way to put on orthodontic wax, but my brain frazzles each time I think about 17 months and three weeks of this.

In contrast, the new glasses are wonderful. Who knew how much lighter titanium frames would be. Certainly not me or I’d have done this ages ago.

I managed to try the Hermes after the metal went on but before the ache started. So, my brain was engaged rather than later when it was focused on irritation. Our local department store has a reasonably decent perfume offer. I did a wander and the Les Jardins boxes caught my eye. I’m pretty sure the only one I had sampled was Sur le Nil by JC Ellena – which I quite liked for the sour mango note.

I also enjoyed the ever-irritating Chandler Burr’s book on the making of Sur le Nil.

So, trying another seemed a good idea.

I did this by box and name. A bit of whimsy.

Les Jardins Sur la Lagune is a Christine Nagel creation from 2019.

Marketing comments: “… a secret garden where nature has stood the test of time. An intriguing place hidden in the city of a thousand contrasts, Venice”. Notes include magnolia, pittosporum (ever green shrub with flowers that smell like orange blossom), Madonna lily, sea breeze, samphire (a sea vegetable which we actually eat here – vaguely called sea asparagus), woody notes (suitably vague).

Unintentionally visiting magnolia again (see last week).

This is very pretty … but not on me. On paper, it’s a lovely marine floral, so it’s frustrating that on my skin it is something else.

Initially, it smells of the air near our estuary: salt, a bit of sour plants, overlaid by a gentle green floral related to all the things growing on the edge of the water.

As it goes along, I get (rather oddly) l’Artisan Bois Farine with its scratchy sweet cardboard flour smell and some ground up bitter almond.

It’s got decent longevity but is never overwhelming.

If you can do marine florals this is well worth a look.

It has a similar ‘feel’ to me to Lutens La Dompteuse Encagee. They don’t smell at all alike (and I can wear the former) but have the same extreme prettiness.

This is EdT and available in a lovely Hermes bottle.

I’ve not yet been to Venice. It’s on the list. I do wonder if there are hidden gardens in some of the big old Venetian houses and if they smell like this.

Anyone tried this? Also, if you’ve smelled more of the Les Jardins any favourites?

Pics: pexels and wiki parfums