The Perfume Gardens, Keyneston Mill

[puddleshark]

The owners of Keyneston Mill produce their own brand of perfume, from ingredients grown and distilled on the grounds, and the gardens are divided into compartments named for elements of perfumery.


The Padua Garden, planted with flowers belonging to the Floral Perfume family, including Damask and Mai roses. (Based on the layout of the Orto Botanica, the oldest university garden in the world, founded in Padua in 1545).






Roses and sweet peas - charming combination.








An exhibition of ceramics by Jan Dagley taking place in the gardens.





Only the Padua Garden at Keyneston has really spectacular planting. For the other gardens, a lot of thought has gone into the layout, but there's almost nothing going on in the flower beds.


Clary Sage in the Fougère Garden.

The Fougère Garden is named for the Fougère or Fern Perfume family, scents derived not from ferns, but from plants with a fern-like fragrance. (Actually, just the names of some of the plants grown here are magical: vetiver & hyssop & artemisia...) The garden itself has three square rusted metal "mirror pools", and "the design of the paths is based on the Birdcage Stadium in Beijing by Ai Wei-Wei".

But it was too windy a day for the mirror pools to be doing their job properly, and for the rest, the garden is mostly taken over by Common Mugwort, so the planting is not that inspiring.

There's also a Spice Garden, "inspired by the works of Kandinsky", also with not much growing in it.


Nigella alone does not a tribute to Kandinsky make.

There are also Perfume Crop fields which you are encouraged to wander, and to pick a leaf or flower to sniff. (But sadly I cannot post the scent of Lemon Balm or Lavender here...)


The Geo Dome & cocktail lawn. For your sci-fi themed corporate event?


Newly-planted avenue of 140 Chanticleer pear trees. (I don't know whether 140 is a significant number...)

The gardens have a bistro rather than a tea room, but this was rather loud and busy by the time I finished exploring at lunchtime, so this particular garden visit did not involve tea and cake.

I hope to make a return visit on a week day, when things are quieter, to try their tea, and to explore the exhibition on the history of perfume.

Forgive all spelling mistakes & weird grammatical errors. Work is horrible and stressy, and I am so, so tired...

Comments

[summersgate]

That looks so interesting! Do they sell any of the scents there?

[puddleshark]

I understand they sell the scents in the gift shop, but I didn't venture into the gift shop this time. I'd be quite curious to test some of their scents next time I visit.

[bleodswean]

This post!!!! Your photos and text are utterly perfect! I am *hearting* this so hard.

[puddleshark]

Thank you!