Narcissus-"Des Plaines"(Narcissus poeticus) Absolute/France

Images of Narcssis poeticus

Narcissus "Des Plaines" Absolute(Narcissus poeticus)/France
There are two types of Narcissus absolute. The first is Des Plains which comes from the cultivated Narcissus and the second is "Des Montagnes" which is from wild harvested Narcissus. The odor of the cultivated and the wild harvested absolutes are very different. I have only done the olfactory evaluation of the cultivated Narcissus absolute.
The Des Plaines Narcissus absolute is a dark amber colored viscous liquid has a mild, rich, sweet, floral bouquet with a delicate green herbaceous, honeyed-balsamic undertone with good tenacity. Deeper into the dry out a lovely sweet hay-like, fruity note nestles amidst the other notes. Also as the initial notes disperse into the air the absolute begins to develop a warm, soft but quiet radiance. In the beginning the aroma seems to stay close to its core notes but with time extends deeper into the environment

Blends well with beeswax absolute; bakul attar; broom abs; boronia absolute; cabreuva eo; cassie absolute; clove bud absolute; champa, golden abs; elderflower abs; hay absolute; helichrysum abs and eo; henna flower attar; honey absolute; frangipani absolute jonquil abs; kadam attar; mimosa abs; neroli eo night queen abs; orange flower absolute; osmanthus absolute parijata attar; rosa bourbonia abs; rose de mai absolute; saffron co2 and abs; sandalwood eo, co2 and abs; tuberose absolute and attar; vanilla abs; violet leaf absolute; ylang absolute

In perfumery can be used in literary perfumes; mythological perfumes; high class florals

Narcissus in Literature
Never as long as they lived would the children forget the scene before them! The budding trees, the singing of the birds, and the sweet scents that came to them were only part of the great surprise that awaited them. Golden sheets of daffodil and white narcissus bordered the dark evergreen shrubberies; edging the old lawn were clumps of violets and primroses. Hyacinths, tulips, and other bulbs were making the flower beds a mass of bright colour, and the lilac and laburnum trees seemed overweighted with their bloom.
Bulbs and Blossoms, by Amy Le Feuvre

NARCISSUS

Narcissus, I like to watch you grow
When snow is shining
Beyond the crystal glass.
A coat of snow covers the hills far.
The sun is setting;
And you stretch out flowers of palest white
In the pink of the sun.
Poems By a Little Girl, by Hilda Conkling

Siberia is no doubt as a rule somewhat severe and inhospitable, but M. Patrin mentions with enthusiasm how one day descending from the frozen summits of the Altai, he came suddenly on a view of the plain of the[Pg 29] Obi—the most beautiful spectacle, he says, which he had ever witnessed. Behind him were barren rocks and the snows of winter, in front a great plain, not indeed entirely green, or green only in places, and for the rest covered by three flowers, the purple Siberian Iris, the golden Hemerocallis, and the silvery Narcissus—green, purple, gold, and white, as far as the eye could reach.
The Beauties of Nature, by Sir John Lubbock



"Go out, in the spring time, among the meadows that slope from the shores of the Swiss lakes to the roots of their lower mountains. There, mingled with the taller gentians and the white narcissus, the grass grows deep and free, and as you follow the winding mountain paths, beneath arching boughs all veiled and dim with blossom,—paths, that for ever droop and rise over the green banks and mounds sweeping down in scented undulation, steep to the blue water, studded here and there with new mown heaps, filling all the air with fainter sweetness,—look up towards the higher hills, where the waves of everlasting green roll silently into their long inlets among the shadows of the pines; and we may, perhaps, at last know the meaning of those quiet words of the 147th Psalm, 'He maketh the grass to grow upon the mountains.'"
The Beauties of Nature, by Sir John Lubbock

Links to Narcissus poeticus
The book of flowers By Sarah Josepha Buell Hale
Poems of the inner life By Calla L. Harcourt
The Gardens of Emily Dickinson By Louise Carter
The new perfume handbook By Nigel Groom
Wikipedia article on Narcissus
Paghats Garden-Narcissus

Ruh Khus(Vetiveria ziazaniodes)/North India wild harvest

Ruh Khus Images


Olfactory properties of Ruh Khus(Vetiveria zizaniodes)/India wild harvested
The exquisite dark green Ruh Khus that is distilled in copper vessels offers a unique olfactory experience to those who feel attracted to this aroma of vetiver. It is, first of all, important to realize that Ruh Khus is distilled from wild growing vetiver of North India which seeds itself in natural habitats of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh etc and in each area it grows it has distinctly unique olfactory characteristics. Cultivated vetiver, which is generally grown in South India has a more uniform odor profile and spreads through underground rhizomes.

Ruh Khus must be analyzed on the basis of the batch one has in front of them as some batches present saffron like notes, other rose like notes, etc. The viscous green liquid currently in hand displays a deep, mellow, dry, earthy-rooty-mossy bouquet with a sweet floral undertone. The depth, complexity, mellowness and richness of this oil is incredible. The tenacity and radiance exceptional. It is no wonder that it has the lovely name of the oil of tranquality. It is highly favored as a cooling essence in the blistering heat of an Indian summer. I love all vetiver oils but the Ruh Khus is the gem amidst them.

Blends well with agarwood eo and co2; aglaia odorata abs; allspice eo, co2 and abs; amberi attar; ambrette seed eo, co2 and abs; amryis eo; angelica root eo, co2 and abs; angelica seed eo and co2; beeswax abs; boronia abs; cassie abs; citrus oils; bois de rose eo; broom abs; canaga eo; carnation abs; cedarwood oils; chamomile eo's; champaca attar and abs; choya nakh; choya ral; choya loban; cistus eo and abs; clary sage eo and abs; coriander eo and co2; costus root eo and co2; fir balsam abs; frankincense eo, co2 and abs; henna leaf abs and co2; ginger root eo, co2 and abs; guiacwood eo; gurjun balsam eo; hay absolute; juniper berry eo, co2 and abs; labdanum eo and abs; lavindin eo and abs; lavender eo, co2 and abs; mimosa abs; musk, black attar; nagarmotha eo and co2; oakmoss abs; opoponax eo and abs; patchouli eo, co2 and abs; pepper, black eo and co2; rose eo's and abs; saffron attar and co2; sandalwood eo, co2 and abs; tonka bean abs; vanilla abs; ylang eo and abs

In perfumery is valued for its contributions to sacred perfumes, incense perfumes, chypres, fougeres, amber bases, oriental bases, moss notes, monsoon perfumes, forest accords, high class florals

Ruh Khus in Literature

Here we slept in peace until eleven o'clock, and awoke from dreams
of Cashmere to the unpleasant realities of a violent dust-storm. The
usual "Khus-khus tatties," or screens of fragrant grass, which are
kept in a continual state of moisture at door and window, and convert
the dust-charged scorching blast into a comparative coolness, were
not forthcoming, and our halt was not a pleasant one by any means:
still our faces were towards the mountains, and the pleasures of hope
enabled us to take our misfortunes with entire philosophy.
Diary of a Pedestrian in Cashmere and Thibet
by William Henry Knight

29. Andropogon muricatus.—The Khus-Khus, or Vetiver grass of India. The fibrous roots yield a most peculiar but pleasing perfume. In India the leaves are manufactured into awnings, blinds, and sunshades; but principally for screens, used in hot weather for doors and windows, which, when wetted, diffuse a peculiar and refreshing perfume, while cooling the air.
Catalogue of Economic Plants in the
Collection of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, by William Saunders

The sirrakee and sainturh[33] are two specimens of one genus of
jungle-grass, the roots of which are called secundah,[34] or khus-khus,[35]
and are collected on account of their aromatic smell, to form thatch
tatties, or screens for the doors and windows; which being kept constantly
watered, the strong wind rushing through the wet khus-khus is rendered
agreeably cool, and produces a real luxury at the season of the hot winds,
when every puff resembles a furnace-heat to those exposed to it by
out-of-door occupation.
Observations on the Mussulmauns of India, by
Mrs. Meer Hassan Ali, et al, Edited by W. Crooke

Vetiver blinds, that lend
To burning summer noons
The scented chill
Of winter nights.
Bihari(1595-1664)

"Khus reeds are a natural coolant and have been used in India to cool the interiors of houses for centuries. Mats of the khas reeds are often used to cover the roof, doors and windows to keep out the sun and cool the air. It also adds a touch of the "exotic" by scenting the cool air with its special natural perfume. As in the ancient royal palaces,Shri Nathji's palace is well sealed with thick mats of the fragrant reed. This blocks out the scorching sun and helps to keep the dust out of the inner sanctum. To assure it's potency in keeping the interior cool, an army of servants are constantly engaged in sprinkling the mats with ample amounts of water. When drenched with water, the khas emits cool sweet fragrance, carried around the various chambers by the summer breeze. Large manually operated ceiling fans stir the fragrant air, as a servant pulls the cord back and forth from outside the inner sanctum. Hand held fans are also regularly used to cool the immediate surroundings of the Lord. Some of the fans in the inner sanctum are also made of khas, and are doused with copious amounts of cool fragrant waters from silver fountains.
(http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/2425/summer.htm)

Vetiver Links
Collection, Harvesting. Processing, Alternative Uses and Production of Essential Oil
Indian medicinal plants: a compendium of 500 species, Volume 5
By P. K. Warrier, V. P. K. Nambiar, C. Ramankutty, R. V
Wikipedia article on Vetiver
Extensive database on Vetiver
Ruh Khus Part 1
Plants for a Future
Bo Jenson Perfumery Database
Himalayan Herbal Healthcare
Pandanus Database of Plants
Vetiver Oil and its Sedative Effect
Vetiver a Historical Prespective

Motia(Jasminum sambac) Attar/India

Images of Jasmine/India


Olfactory Properties of Motia(Jasmin sambac) Attar/North India
The sandalwood based Motia Attar displays a rich, heavy, exotic, sweet floral, spicy, fruity bouquet. The indolic notes that are characteristic of the pure absolute are not present in the attar, due in large part to the mellowing effect of the sandalwood oil into which the flowers are distilled and due in part to the fact that the flowers are distilled and not extracted. The sweetness of the attar is very elegant and delightful and in combination with the fruity, spicy note creates a cool, soft atmosphere. The fixative effects of sandalwood also contribute significantly to the smooth and mellow effect of the attar.

Arabian jasmine in Literature
Four broad paths were divided by many beds bordered by thyme, lavender, wild thyme,
hyssop and other fragrant plants. The four principal beds were
subdivided into numerous little ones set apart for vegetables or fruits,
but surrounded by wide borders of fragrant flowers. Between two little
walls of verdure, covered with Arabian jasmine and odorous creepers,
could be seen, in the horizon, the sea and the hills of the other
islands.
A Romance of the West Indies, by Eugene Sue

The flower markets blaze with many-coloured roses,
tons of gardenias and a wealth of white heavy-scented flowers, such as
tuberoses and Arabian jasmine. All the spices of the East, in fact,
seem breathing from these mounds of blossom, as well as from gums and
essences distilled from them in archaic fashion. Transparent sachets,
filled with the scented petals of _ylang-ylang_, fill the air with
intoxicating sweetness, and outside the busy _passer_, a
frangipanni-tree, the native _sumboya_ or "flower of the dead," just
opening a white crowd of golden-hearted blossoms to the sun, adds
another wave of perfume to the floral incense, steaming from earth to
sky with prodigal exuberance.
Through the Malay Archipelago, by Emily Richings

That night the serried, gaily-dressed ranks of young men and maidens
waited with smiling faces at the Palace Gates. The Palace Hall was
lighted with fairy lamps and festooned with the flowers of spring.
Slowly the Queen of Hearts entered, and the whole assembly rose to greet
her. With a jasmine garland in her hand, she stood before the Prince
with downcast eyes. In her lowly bashfulness she could hardly raise the
garland to the neck of the Mate she had chosen. But the Prince bowed his
head, and the garland slipped to its place. The assembly of youths and
maidens had waited her choice with eager, expectant hush. And when
the choice was made, the whole vast concourse rocked and swayed with a
tumult of wild delight. And the sound of their shouts was heard in every
part of the island, and by ships far out at sea. Never had such a shout
been raised in the Kingdom of Cards before.
The Hungry Stones And Other Stories, by
Rabindranath Tagore

If one rides in any direction here, mountains must be crossed. The native women deck themselves in an extraordinary manner with flowers on all gala occasions, while the men wear wreaths of the same about their straw hats, often adding braids of laurel leaves across the shoulders and chest. The white blossoms of the jasmine, fragrant as tuberoses, which they much resemble, are generally employed for this decorative purpose. As a people the Hawaiians are very courteous and respectful,[Pg 18] rarely failing to greet all passing strangers with a softly articulated "alo-ha," which signifies "my love to you."
Foot-prints of Travel, by Maturin M. Ballou

Around the semi-circular flight of steps, ascend-,
ing to the piazza of the dwelling, — the columns of
which were festooned with the golden jasmine and
luxuriant multiflora, — stood, in large green vases, a
variety' of flowers, among which I observed the tiny
flowerets of the diamond myrtle, sparkling like
crystals of snow, scattered upon rich green leaves — >
the dark foliaged Arabian jasmine silvered with its
opulently-leaved flowers redolent of the sweetest
perfume, — and tjie rose-geranium, breathing gales of
fragrance upon the air.
The South-west, Volume 1
By Joseph Holt Ingraham

1 1th. — My ayha was decorated last night with earrings, made
of freshly gathered jasmine flowers, strung double on a wire,
and hanging down to her shoulders ; the scent was so powerful,
I could not endare it in the room. Under her chadar they had
a good effect ; she wore the bela, the doable Arabian jasmine
(jasminum sambac pleno ; jasminum, from the Arabian ysmyn) .

The flowers are most overpoweringly sweet, pure white, and
double. Native women are extremely fond of decorating them-
selves with necklaces, earrings, and bracelets, formed of freshly
gathered flowers.
Wanderings of a pilgrim in search of the picturesque: Volume 1
By Fanny Parkes Parlby


Outside he could see the huge dome of the cathedral, looming like a bubble over the shadowy houses, and the weary sentinels pacing up and down on the misty terrace by the river. Far away, in an orchard, a nightingale was singing. A faint perfume of jasmine came through the open window. He brushed his brown curls back from his forehead, and taking up a lute, let his fingers stray across the cords. His heavy eyelids drooped, and a strange languor came over him. Never before had he felt so keenly, or with such exquisite joy, the magic and the mystery of beautiful things.
A House of Pomegranates, by Oscar Wilde











Links to Jasminum sambac, Arabian Jasmine, Motia, Sampaguita
Indian medicinal plants: a compendium of 500 species, Volume 3 By P. K. Warrier, V. P. K. Nambiar, C. Ramankutty
Leungs Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients: By Ikhlas A. Khan, Ehab A. Abourashed
The Encyclopaedia Britannica: Volume 15 By Hugh Chisholm
The story of tea: a cultural history and drinking guide By Mary Lou Heiss, Robert J. Heiss
The garden plants of China By Peter Valder
Jasmin sambac Perfumery

Sandalwood(Santalum album) essential oil/Sri Lanka organic

Sandalwood images

Olfactory properties of Sandalwood(Santalum album) essential oil/Sri Lanka organic

As regards the olfactory properties of Sri Lankan Sandalwood (Santalum album), the viscous pale yellow oil displays a soft, sweet, elegant, balsamic, precious woods, slight spicy, bouquet with a somewhat animalic undertone . The passage from top note to base note becomes softer, sweeter and richer and more mellow with the passage of time. The unique aspect of the sandalwood bouquet is its quiet rich stability within its aromatic parameters. It has a special harmonizing and elevating dimension with almost all other essences that comes in its contact.

Sandalwood blends well with such a wide variety of materials that the list would be to extensive to mention here. For centuries it has been the base material into which costly aromatic materials are distilled to produce attars. The beauty of sandalwood and the materials that come in its contact is that they become more beautiful with the passing years. Anyone who has experienced aged attars knows that an attar distilled 5 or even 10 years ago will be more beautiful, rich and complex than one distilled just a few months back. Aged attars are true aromatic treasures.

In perfumery sandalwood is valued in sacred blends, incense perfumes, oriental bouquets, contemporary attars, chypres, fougeres, high class perfumes, ayurvedic blends

Other interesting information about this consignment of Sri Lankan Sandalwood
Last week we received 10 kilos of organic Sandalwood from Sri Lanka (5 kilos now remains of the amount we received.) The story behind the sandalwood project in Sri Lanka is a very nice one and so I am sharing the distillers information with you. It is very encouraging news as for the past 8 years or so I could not get a really lovely sandalwood (Santalum album) oil which had all the lovely deep, rich precious woods heartnote characteristics like I used to get from Tamil Nadu Forest Department in South India. I have been able to procure ethically harvested New Caledonia Sandalwood (austrocaledonicum) and ethically harvested Australian Sandalwood (Santalum spicatum) and they each have their own fine aromatic virtues but there is something specially delectable about the oil distilled from Santalum album.

The news out of Sri Lanka is encouraging also from the vantage point that it is much easier for the private growers and forest department personal to protect their trees from illegal harvest as has been the largest problem in India where the wild harvested sandalwood trees grow over a large area in very remote areas so the forest department has not been able to manage their surveillance properly.

The current batch of sandalwood oil is distilled exclusively from the roots of old trees that were harvested many years back. 20 years ago when the sandalwood industry began to reawaken in Sri Lanka (Santalum album is indigenous to Sri Lanka and has played a central role in the religious traditions of the country) there were not enough controls in place to manage the proper harvest and replanting of the older trees. At that time the harvesters did not want to go to the trouble of digging out the roots which is a very difficult and tedious job. But richest oil is contained in the dense heartwood of the roots as was explained to me by the forest department official at the Forest Department Distillery in Tamil Nadu, South India when I visited the sandalwood oil distillery there.

The distiller who we procure the oil from has been a pioneer in organic horticulture in Sri Lanka and was able to gain permission to dig out the roots from the trees which had been harvested years ago as he has been one of the major movers in re-establishing the industry in his country and has a good relationship with the government as a result of his efforts.. For every root they dig out they have planted 20 new trees. To date he and his staff have planted 10,000 new trees both on forest service land and on his own plantations. The trees have been growing vigorously and have begun reseeding themselves as well. He has also developed some organic horticultural techniques for assisting the trees to mature more quickly and produce the sandalwood heartwood. It is still 5-10 years before the oldest trees(which are now 20 years of age) begin to have a significant amount of aromatic heartwood but from that point onwards there will be an increased supply of this precious oil. The increased awareness amongst the growers, distillers and government forest department on how to manage sandalwood groves for future generations and the strict regulations that are now in place governing sandalwood trading in Sri Lanka offer a lot of positive hope that this ancient and precious wood and its oil may be enjoyed for generations to come.



Sandalwood in Literature
Crossing the veranda, and passing through an open window hung with silk curtains, Hart entered a cool dark room. This was Mrs. Decie's sanctum, where she conducted correspondence, received her visitors, read the latest literature, and sometimes, when she had bad headaches, lay for hours on the sofa, with a fan, and her eyes closed. There was a scent of sandalwood, a suggestion of the East, a kind of mystery, in here, as if things like chairs and tables were not really what they seemed, but something much less commonplace.
Villa Rubein and Other Stories, by John Galsworthy

Wise Vidura and his comrades sped on sacred duty bound,
Sandalwood and scented aloes, oil and ghee and perfumes found,

Silken robes of costly splendour, fabrics by the artist wove,
Dry wood from the thorny jungle, perfume from the scented grove,

Shattered cars and splintered lances, hewed and ready for the fire,
Piled and ranged in perfect order into many a funeral pyre.
Maha-bharata, by Anonymous

Silken punkahs swung from chains, wafting back and forth a cloud of sandalwood smoke that veiled the whole scene in mysterious, scented mist. Through the open window came the splash of a fountain and the chattering of birds, and the branch of a feathery tree drooped near by. It seemed that the long white wall below was that of Yasmini's garden.

"Be welcome!" laughed Rewa Gunga; "I am to do the honors, since she is not here. Be seated, sahib."
King—of the Khyber Rifles, by Talbot Mundy

There was always an atmosphere of sandalwood and Arab essence about
Baboo that reminded me of the holds of the old sailing-ships that used
to come into Boston harbor from the Indies. I think his mother must
have rubbed the perfumes into his hair as the one way of declaring to
the world her affection for him. She could not give him clothes, or
ornaments, or toys: such was not the fashion of Baboo's race. Neither
was he old enough to wear the silk sarong that his Aunt Fatima had
woven for him on her loom.
Tales of the Malayan Coast, by Rounsevelle Wildman

After we had walked along the white shell paths, past the swaying
fisher boats, over an ancient stone bridge, beneath tall palms
and hanging vines and thick bananas, we beheld a wonderfully carved
doorway, with statues in the niches. Over the tree tops, rose a noble
white dome. From the open windows, the sweet singing of sacred music
came to our ears. It was the well-known Mass or communion music of
our own land, consisting of the beautiful strains of the Gloria, the
Sanctus, and the Benedictus. As we came nearer, the breeze wafted
us sweet incense from the altar, sandal and spice and flower and
cinnamon scents.
Fil and Filippa, by John Stuart Thomson

Miss Camilla got a yellow Canton crepe shawl, that was redolent of
sandalwood, out of a closet, but she did not put it over her
shoulders, the outdoor air was so soft. She needed nothing but her
lace mantle over her head, which made her look like a bride of some
old spring. Lucina followed her through the hall, out of the back
door, which had a trellis and a grape-vine over it, into the garden.
The garden was large, and laid out primly in box-bordered beds. There
were even trees of box on certain corners, and it looked as if the
box would in time quite choke out the flowers. Lucina, who was given
to sweet and secret fancies, would often sit with wide blue eyes of
contemplation upon the garden, and discover in the box a sprawling,
many-armed green monster, bent upon strangling out the lives of the
flowers in their beds.
Jerome, A Poor Man, by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman


Sandalwood/Chandan(Santalum album) links
White Lotus Aromatics updates
Sacred Sandalwood - The Divine Tree
Between east and west. By R. A. Donkin
Indian medicinal plants: a compendium of 500 species, Volume 5By P. K. Warrier, V. P. K. Nambiar, C. Ramankutty, R
Herbs cultivation and medicinal uses By H. Panda
wikipedia article on sandalwood
Plant Cultures:Exploring Plants and People

Gardenia(Gardenia jasminoides) Absolute/China

Images of Gardenia jasminoides

AMONGST THE CLIFFS


The path up the mountain is hard
To follow through the tumbled rocks.
When I reach the monastery
The bats are already flying.
I go to the guest room and sit
On the steps. The rain is over.
The banana leaves are broad.
The gardenias are in bloom.
The old guest master tells me
There are ancient paintings on the
Walls. He goes and gets a light.
I see they are incomparably
Beautiful. He spreads my bed
And sweeps the mat. He serves me
Soup and rice. It is simple
Food but nourishing. The night
Goes on as I lie and listen
To the great peace. Insects chirp
And click in the stillness. The
Pure moon rises over the ridge
And shines in my door. At daybreak
I get up alone. I saddle
My horse myself and go my way.
The trails are all washed out.
I go up and down, picking my
Way through storm clouds on the mountain.
Red cliffs, green waterfalls, all
Sparkle in the morning light.
I pass pines and oaks ten men
Could not reach around. I cross
Flooded streams. My bare feet stumble
On the cobbles. The water roars.
My clothes whip in the wind. This
Is the only life where a man
Can find happiness. Why do I
Spend my days bridled like a horse
With a cruel bit in his mouth?
If I only had a few friends
Who agreed with me we’d retire
To the mountains and stay till our lives end.
HAN YU (768-824)




For many years I have been in search of a genuine Gardenia jasminoides absolute. In the formative years of White Lotus Aromatics I had been able to obtain a few ounces of Gardenia absolute from Tahiti but soon after I obtained this lovely material the extraction facility ceased to make this lovely absolute. All other efforts to obtain Gardenia absolute in the following years were unsuccessful. All that I could locate were the "bouqueted" absolutes, that is absolutes that were created using synthetic and natural isolates to imitate the odor of Gardenia and which were sometimes sold as genuine absolutes at very high cost. But it has never been an interest of ours to offer such materials so the search for Gardenia absolute continued.
Recently we published a newsletter that contained the our own recipe for a Gardenia perfume that was compounded of natural essential oils, absolutes, etc which was a small attempt to capture some of the beauty of this wonderful flower and many folks enjoyed the free samples that were sent out(as we do not sell the perfumes, just create them in small batches and convert them to a solid perfume which is then sent free of charge to folks who purchase absolutes, essential oils, etc from us the month the recipe is published)

Now, not so very long after that newsletter was published we received an email from colleagues of ours in Guilin, China who I had corresponded with in the past but not yet procured absolutes and essential oils from. Their major extraction and distillation work had been focused on Osmanthus, Rosa gallica, Jasmin sambac and White Champa flower and leaf and they informed me that their gardenia gardens how now matured and they could offer Gardenia jasminoides absolute.(Gardenia jasminoides is native to China and has been cultivated there since the 12th century) I was delighted to receive this information and requested samples of the Gardenia, Osmanthus etc(incidentally Guilin, the city near where their extraction units are located means the city of Sweet Osmanthus as thousands of flowering Osmanthus trees are located within the city itself)



Olfactory Properties of Gardenia jasminoides/Gardenia absolute/China
Today the samples arrived and I am delighted to say that the Gardenia absolute is indeed lovely. The dark, amber colored slightly viscous liquid displays a fresh, sweet floral, fatty, green-herbaceous bouquet with a fruity, floral, honey, tea-like undertone. The sweet, green, herbaceous, fruity, tea-like note comes into the forefront as the dry out phase deepens. This unique note has good depth and tenacity. I have been studying the absolute on a perfume strip now for over 12 hours and the aroma is still very rich and complex with a fine spicy note taking its place amidst the above mentioned dry out notes.

As has been mentioned in earlier blogs on techniques of olfactory evaluation-there is a lot to be said for exploring the beauty of an essence its diffusion into the air through a simple, low heat output diffuser like the AromaStone. One can enter the room where such an aroma is being diffused and gain a fuller appreciation of its complete aromatic aura. When I was smelling the Gardenia absolute on a perfumers smelling strip I enjoyed and appreciated the different phases of its aromatic life from top note to dry out(actually after 24 hours there is still a lovely scent upon the strip) but when I went into the room which I had placed a few drops of the scent-it was as if I was transported into the environment of the sloping hillsides where the single flowered Gardenia grows in the warm humid climate of Guilin, China.

Gardenia absolute blends well with agarwood attar and eo; aglaia odorata abs; ambrette seed eo, co2 and abs; anise, star eo and co2; beeswax abs; boronia abs; broom abs; cassie abs; champaca, golden attar and abs; clove bud eo, co2 and abs; elder flower abs; frangipani absolute; galbanum abs, co2 and eo; henna leaf abs and co2; jasmin absolutes; jonquil absolute; karo karounde abs; mate abs; mimosa abs; magnolia lily co2; narcissus abs; night queen abs and attar; orange flower abs; petitgrain, mandarin eo; saffron attar and co2; sandalwood eo, co2 and abs; stryax eo and abs; tea leaf abs; tuberose abs; vanilla co2 and abs; violet leaf abs white ginger lily abs; ylang absolute and eo;


In perfumery is valued in garland perfumes, oriental bases, Far Eastern perfumes, tea themed perfumes, heavy floral perfumes, literary perfumes, tropical bouquets. It also contributes valuable notes to enhanced natural perfumes with single flower themes of tuberose, narcissus, stephanotis, hyacinth and jonquil



Interesting facts about Gardenia jasminoides
1. Gardenia jasminoides (also known as Gardenia augusta) is a fragrant flowering evergreen tropical plant, a favorite in gardens worldwide. It originated in Asia and is most commonly found growing in Vietnam, Southern China, Taiwan and Japan. With its shiny green leaves and fragrant white summer flowers, it is widely used in gardens in warm temperate and subtropical climates. It has been in cultivation in China for at least a thousand years, and was introduced to English gardens in the mid 18th century. Many varieties have been bred for horticulture, with low growing, and large- and long
2. The cape jasmine or gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides J. Ellis) is native to China and a member of the Rubiaceae [rue' bee a see ee], the madder or coffee family. The plant was 'discovered' by Westerners in the 18th century. Of course, the Chinese had long appreciated the gardenia; they have cultivated it for at least 1,000 years.flowering forms.
3.Huang zhi zi: gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides Ellis). This was one of the most widely used dyes in middle China in ancient times.In Records of the Historian, Sima Qian (2d century b.c.), depicts “thousands of mu [15 mu is about 1 hectare] of dyeing gardenia,” which suggests that it was a very popular dye during the Qin (221 b.c.–207 b.c.) and Han (202 b.c.–a.d. 220) Dynasties. The husks of seeds of the gardenia yield a bright yellow. The dye constituent is crocin
4. Chinese herbal medicine, however, makes the most extensive use of the gardenia. Its Chinese name is zhi zi. The traditional medicinal actions attributed to gardenia include calming irritability; cooling blood and clearing away heat (a yin/yang imbalance often characterized by deficient yin); reducing swelling; and moving stagnant blood that has congealed in one place, usually following trauma. Gardenia is considered to be very effective as a hemostatic agent, which means that it stops bleeding; and also effective in treating injuries to the muscles, joints, and tendons. Gardenia is commonly used in Chinese herbal formulas to treat infections, particularly bladder infections; abscesses; jaundice; and blood in the urine, sputum, or stool. Because of its perceived ability to ease agitation or irritability, it is also used in formulas to treat anxiety or insomnia. It is also helpful in correcting menopausal imbalances reflected in insomnia and depression, nervous tension, headache, and dizziness.

Gardenia in Literature

The country is very hilly, and great, red sandstone bluffs, heavily wooded, with pagodas and temples, and much carving in rock recesses, with scarlet azaleas and gardenia blossoming everywhere, would have riveted my admiration to the left bank hand it not been for the overhanging red sandstone cliff and the picturesque houses of the city on the right....
The beautiful gorge outsdie the city, and the grand Prince's Temple were drowned in mist, out of which heavy odours of gardenia drifted.
The Yangtze valley and beyond: an account of journeys in China, chiefly in ...
By Isabella Lucy Bird

On reaching the foot of the mountains, we left our chairs and walked up a richly-wooded dell with luxuriant vegetation, here and there enlivenedd by a patch of beautiful dwarf scarlet azalea or the white stars of fragrant jessamine. I am told that in autumn this glen is gorgeous with crimson lilies and gloxinias, also that the single gardenia flowers here abundantly.
Wanderings in China
By Constance Frederica Gordon Cumming

Do not believe the oft-repeated statements that tropical flowers have little scent, and are in appearance less charming as a mass that nt he products of an English garden. Squatting under a long stretch of banyan trees, in one of the broad, hilly side streets, are knots of flower-men, making up bouquets of the most beautiful contrasts of green, scarlet, orange, blue and white, and with the scent of frangipani, or gardenia, or tuberose, or jessamine predominating according to the season...
English life in China
By Sir Henry Knollys

Hour after hour you may traverse, by tortuous paths, over tiny bridges, the works of the generations who have passed, the labors of their children of today; till you reach the point where man succumbs and Nature has her way, covering the highest crags with a mantle of azure and gold and rose, gardenia, clematis, azalea, growing luxuriantly wild. How often here have I sat for hours in silence so intense that, as one of our poets has said, " you may hear the shadows of the trees rustling on the ground"; a silence broken only now and again from far below by voices of laborers calling across the water courses, or, at evening or dawn, by the sound of gongs summoning to worship from the temples in tehe valley. Such silence! Such sounds! Such perfume! Such color!
Letters from a Chinese official: being an eastern view of western civilization
By Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson

We observed also in pots the Ocymum or sweet Basil, Cloranthus inconspicuous, called Chu-lan, whose leaves are sometimes mixed with those of tea to give them a peculiar flavour; the Olea fragrans, or sweet scented olive, said also to be used for the same purpose; a species of myrtle; the much esteemed Rosa Sinica; the Tuberose; the strong scented Gardenia florida, improperly called the Cape Jasmine; the China pink and several others, to enumerate which would exceed the limits of this work.
Title: Travels in China, Containing Descriptions, Observations, and Comparisons, Made and Collected in the Course of a Short Residence at the Imperial Palace of Yuen-Min-Yuen, and on a Subsequent Journey through the Country from Pekin to Canton
Author: John Barrow

The white velvet curtains before the tall casements shut out the stars, but all the heavens seemed recorded by the glowing wax-candles. Down the center of the room ran the banquet-table with dishes of gold; and plumage of rare birds nesting strange viands; and the sweet cheeks of summer fruits showing through the heaped blossoms of rose, gardenia, and honeysuckle. There were sweetmeats on dishes of pierced silver and between these played into broad glass bowls jets of scented water, making a lake where tiny swans swam.
The Faery Tales of Weir, by Anna McClure Sholl

Some Japanese Watteau must have mapped out this Donko-Tchaya, for it has
rather an affected air of rurality, though very pretty. It is well
shaded, under a shelter of large trees with dense foliage, and a
miniature lake close by, the chosen residence of a few toads, has given
it its attractive denomination. Lucky toads, who crawl and croak on the
finest of moss, in the midst of tiny artificial islets decked with
gardenias in full bloom. From time to time, one of them informs us of
his thoughts by a 'Couac', uttered in a deep bass croak, infinitely more
hollow than that of our own toads.
Madame Chrysantheme, v1
by
Pierre Loti

"The comfort and luxury of such an apartment, especially at a
seashore villa, can hardly be imagined. The soft breezes sweep
across it, heavy with the fragrance of jasmine and gardenia, and
through the swaying boughs of palm and mimosa there are glimpses of
rugged mountains, their summits veiled in clouds, of purple sea with
the white surf beating eternally against the reefs, whiter still in
the yellow sunlight or the magical moonlight of the tropics."
Following the Equator, Complete
by Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)

The fei-hunters hang six or seven bunches on a bamboo pole and bring them thus to market. One meets these young Atlases moving along the roads, chaplets of frangipani upon their curling hair, or perhaps a single gardenia or tube-rose behind their ears, singing softly and treading steadily, smiling, and all with a burden that would stagger a white athlete.
Mystic Isles of the South Seas, by Frederick O’Brien

It was discovered that thousands of square miles of Australian soil never catch glimpses of the sun in consequence of the impenetrableness of the shade of Australian trees; that the scent of the wattles, the eucalypts, the boronias, the hoyas, the gardenias, the lotus, etc., etc., are among the sweetest and cleanest, most powerful and most varied in the world; that many of the birds of Australia have songs full of melody;....
The Confessions of a Beachcomber, by E J Banfield

I reached the top of the gulch and paused to gaze at its extent. The
great hills rose sheer and rugged a mile away; the cocoanuts ceased
at a lower level, and where I stood the precipices were a mass of
wild trees, bushes, and creepers. From black to lightest green the
colors ran, from smoky crests and gloomy ravines to the stream
singing its way a hundred feet below the trail.

A hundred varieties of flowers poured forth their perfume upon the
lonely scene. The frangipani, the red jasmine of delicious odor, and
tropical gardenias, weighted the warm air with their heavy scents.
White Shadows in the South Seas, by Frederick
O'Brien






Links for Gardenia jasminoides
Plant of the
Week/Gardenia
Wikipedia article on Gardenia
Painting of Gardenia from Song Dynasty
Gardenia as a dye
Gardenia jasminoides in medicine
Gardenia in Perfumes
Herbal emissaries: bringing Chinese herbs to the West : By Steven Foster, Chongxi Yue
Chinese Flower Arrangement By Hui-Lin Li
Gifts from the Gardens of China By Jane Kilpatrick
Edible & medicinal flowers By Margaret Roberts
The meaning of flowers: myth, language & lore By Gretchen Scoble, Ann Field

Mitti(Baked Earth) Attar/India

Images for Mitti Attar
Article on Mitti Attar

"The real significance of the mitti attar was only revealed to me though when we were in Rajasthan as it had been many years since I was in India during the monsoon season. Seeing the sun baked earth upturned and waiting to receive the rains and feeling the longing of the people for the return of the monsoon connected me once again to the"reason" behind the existence of the attar. This odor was for the people a reminder of one of the most sacred and important events of their lives. Ramakant also explained to me that from the scientific level when the earth becomes depleted of moisture the soil organisms, numbering 10 million to the teaspoon, become inactive but as soon as the soil receives the rain they are activated again and this activity is most likely the cause for the sublime aroma that is dear to those who love the earth. This exquisite rich, deep, mysterious smell created by the activity of the micro-organisms, invisibly charges the air with its positive influence and one can easily imagine that the earth is in turn thanking the clouds and rain for showering their cooling draughts so that life can return to the land and all nature can rejoice."
Mitti Attar/White Lotus Aromatics

Olfactory Properties of Mitti(baked earth) Attar
The attar of Mitti displays a fine, dry, earthy, punguent aroma that has a delicate, sweet, rooty-spicy undertone with good tenacity.

Mitti Attar is such a special and unique aroma that I would hesitate to add anything to it but certainly for the adventurous perfumer one could add trace amounts of agarwood/oud eo, attar and co2; allspice eo, co2 and abs; angelica root eo, co2 and abs; carrot seed eo, co2 and abs; cedarwood, western red heartwood eo; cedarwood, virginia eo; cinnamon bark co2, eo and abs; cypress eo and abs; elecampange eo and abs; galangal eo; oakmoss abs; patchouli eo, co2 and abs pepper, pink eo and co2; kewda attar and ruh; siamwood eo; turmeric eo and co2; vetiver eo, co2 and abs;

In perfume blending could be used in sacred perfumes, chypres, fougeres, monsoon blends, oriental bases, amber notes, precious woods blends, ayurvedic perfumes

Scent of the Earth in Literature

"You speak like the very spirit of earth, imbued with a scent of freshly turned soil," exclaimed my friend.
The Hall of Fantasy, by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Then rain, and after, moonshine cold and fair,
And scent of earth, sweet with the evening rain,
And slow soft speech beneath the rain-washed trees,
Ah, that such things should never come again!
All Round the Year, by
Edith Nesbit and Saretta Nesbit

April! April! April!
With a mist of green on the trees--
And a scent of the warm brown broken earth
On every wandering breeze;
What, though thou be changeful,
Though thy gold turns to grey again,
There's a robin out yonder singing,
Singing in the rain.
The Miracle and Other Poems, by Virna Sheard

The coyote is your true water-witch, one who snuffs and paws, snuffs and
paws again at the smallest spot of moisture-scented earth until he has
freed the blind water from the soil. Many water-holes are no more than
this detected by the lean hobo of the hills in localities where not even
an Indian would look for it.
The Land of Little Rain, by Mary Austin

Meanwhile, toward the west, a vast marine picture, like a panorama on wheels, was accompanying us all the way. Sometimes at our feet, beneath the seamy fissures of a hillside, or far removed by sweep of meadow, lay the fluctuant mass we call the sea. It was all a glassy yellow surface now; into the liquid mirror the polychrome sails sent down long lines of color. The sun had sunk beyond the Havre hills, but the flame of his mantle still swept the sky. And into this twilight there crept up from the earth a subtle, delicious scent and smell—the smell and perfume of spring—of the ardent, vigorous, unspent Normandy spring.
In and Out of Three Normady Inns by Anna Bowman Dodd

"For it is clean dirt," she laughingly said, when Miss Dorothy playfully scolded her for it. "This kind of dirt is healthful, and it isn't going to hurt me if a few dusty twigs or a bit of dried grass or weeds should cling to my gown. You must remember, Sister Dorothy, there are different kinds of dirt. I haven't any respect for grease spots or for clothes soiled from wearing them too long. I don't like that kind of dirt, but to get close to dear old mother earth, and have a scent of her fresh soil once in a while is what I enjoy. It is delightful. I like nature too well to stand on ceremony with her."
Dickey Downy, by Virginia Sharpe Patterson

Above all there came to his nostrils the scent of summer, the smell of flowers mingled, and the odour of the woods, of cool shaded places, deep in the green depths, drawn forth by the sun's heat; and the scent of the good earth, lying as it were with arms stretched forth, and smiling lips, overpowered all. His fancies made him wander, as he had wandered long ago, from the fields into the wood, tracking a little path between the shining undergrowth of beech-trees; and the trickle of water dropping from the limestone rock sounded as a clear melody in the dream.
The Great God Pan, by Arthur Machen

Kewda/Keora(Pandanus odoratissimus) attar/India wild harvest

"The kewda (Pandanus odoratissimus) is another. It has a very agreeable perfume. Musk has the defect of being dry; this may be called moist musk-a very agreeable perfumeIn amongst the inner leaves grown things like what belongs to a middle of a flower and from these things comes the excellent perfume" Babur Nama-1525

Images of Pandanus odoratissimus
Kewda for Attar Industry

Olfactory properties of Kewda/Keora Attar(Pandanus odoratissimus)/India wild harvest
The attar of kewda displays a high, sweet, piercing, fresh floral bouquet with a resinous/citrus/honeyed undertone. It has some notes in common with frankincense, hyacinth, narcissus, golden champac and gardenia. Because of the fixative qualities of sandalwood the high, sweet, intense honeyed, floral note persists for quite some time on the perfume blotter

Blends well with amberi attar; anise, star eo and co2; anise seed eo and co2; basil eo, co2 and abs; beeswax abs; benzoin abs; cananga eo; champa, golden abs; cistus eo and abs; citrus oils; fennel eo and co2; frangipani abs; frankincense eo, co2 and abs; galbanum eo and abs; gardenia abs; ginger eo, co2 and abs; hyacinth abs; jasmin sambac and jasmin auriculatum abs; karo karounde abs; labdanum eo and abs; lemon myrtle eo; litsea cubeba eo; musk black attar; osmanthus abs; peru balasm eo and abs; petitrain eo's; rose eo and abs; sage clary eo and abs; sandalwood eo, co2 and abs; shamama attar; siamwood eo; styrax eo and abs; tagetes eo, attar and abs; tarragon eo and abs; tolu balsam eo and abs; tonka bean abs; tuberose abs and attar; ylang eo, co2 and abs; vanilla abs and co2; verbena eo and abs; vetiver eo, co2 and abs; white ginger lily abs

In perfumery can be used in mythological perfumes; high class florals; oriental bouquets; tropical perfumes; honeysuckle, gardenia, hyacinth, lilac and narcissus re-creations



Links to Keora/Kewda/Pandanus odoratissimus
Kewda Industry in Ganjan District of Orrisa
Cultivation Of Medicinal And Aromatic Crops By Farooqi A.A., B.S. Sreeramu
Kewda - Orrisa's Fragrant Floral King
Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages
Essential oil composition of Pandanus odoratissimus
Bo Jensons Aromatic Database
Cyclopædia of India and of eastern and southern Asia Volume 4 By Edward
Balfour
Indian medicinal plants: a compendium of 500 species, Volume 4 By P. K. Warrier, V. P. K. Nambiar, C. Ramank
Hawaiian heritage plants By Angela Kay Kepler
A dictionary of the economic products of India, Volume 6, Part 1 By Sir George Watt
Plant Myths and Traditions in India

Parijata(Nyctanthes arbor-tristis) Attar/India wild harvest

Images of Parijata/Nyctanthus arbor-tristis
Parijat for Attar Industry


Olfactory profile of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis/Parijata/India wild harvest
The attar of Parijata flowers displays a rich, sweet floral, slighty spicy-powdery, balsamic bouquet displaying jasmin/orange blossom/honeysuckle like notes in the floral dimensions of its aromatic personality and powdery-saffron notes in the spicy side.
As with all attars it makes a beautiful sublime perfume in itself as the sandalwood base softly melds the different components of its fragrant identity together into a single harmonius unit.

If one wishes to further expand its olfactory range one can add small amounts of beeswax abs; boronia abs; black pepper eo and co2; broom abs; cananga eo; cassie abs; champa, golden abs and attar; cinnamon eo, co2 and abs; coriander eo and co2; elderflower abs and eo; frankincense eo, co2 and abs; geranium eo and abs; hay, green abs; helichyrsum eo and abs; henna flower attar; henna leaf abs and co2; jasmin absolute (auriculatum, sambac and grandiflorum); kadam attar; karo karounde abs; magnolia lily co2; mandarin petitgrain eo; mimosa abs; orange blossom absolute; orris root eo, co2 an abs; neroli eo; rose eo and abs;saffron co2 and attar; verbena, lemon eo and abs; ylang eo and abs

In perfumery can be use in garland perfumes, sacred essences, high class florals, mythological creations

Links to Nycanthes arbor-tristis/Parijata
Wikipedia article on Parijata
Parijata article-White Lotus Aromatics
Curtis's botanical magazine, Volume 82
Indian medicinal plants: a compendium of 500 species, Volume 4 By P. K. Warrier
The spirit of the woods, by the author of 'The moral of flowers'. By Rebecca Hey
Memorandum on dyes of Indian growth and production By L. Liotard
Plant Myths and Traditions in India

Kadam(Anthocephalus cadamba) Attar/India wild harvest

Images of Kadam/Kadamba/Anthocephalus cadamba

olfactory properties of Kadam(Anthocephalus cadamba) Attar/India wild harvest
The sandalwood based attar of Kadam displays a wonderful rich, sweet, heavy, honeyed, powdery-floral bouquet which due to the presence of sandalwood(into which the flowers are distilled over a period of 10-15 days) maintains its aromatic profile in a consistent manner over many hours(24 hours later the
As with all sandalwood based attars, the overall bouquet has soft precious woods radiance subtly manifesting itself as an undertone , helping harmonize and exalt all the flowers rich beauty.
All true traditonal attars, in my opinion are perfect perfumes in themselves and can be enjoyed as such. They are a treasure to explore through all stages of their aromatic life, revealing quiet facets of beauty as one concentrates on the volatile molecules as they release into the air in a measured way(again due to the true fixative effect of sandalwood)
Kadam attar was once regularly distilled in North India but nowadays it is rarely done although we are doing our small part to keep this precious attar on the aromatic palette of one of our colleagues who is dedicated to this ancient art and craft.The high cost of legally traded sandalwood within India has resulted in a steep decline in the production of traditional attars and many of the delightful aromatic treasures that were once produced from Indian flowers are no longer produced.


One can of course use the attars in blending if one feels so inclined. One needs to proceed with great caution though as small additions of natural essences are all that is required to create the changes one desires. In general these absolutes, essential oils and co2 extracts can be added to kadam attar to create wonderful perfumes- araucaria eo; beeswax abs; boronia abs; broom abs; cabreuva eo; cananga eo; carrot seed, eo, co2 and abs; cedarwood eo and abs; champaca, golden abs; champaca, white co2; Cassie abs; hay abs; coriander eo, co2 and abs; frangipani abs; helichrysum eo and abs; honey/miel abs; jasmine absolutes(grandifloroum, sambac and auriculatum); karo karounde abs; magnolia lily co2 mimosa absolute; neroil eo; orange blossom abs; orris eo, co2 and abs; rose otto and abs(centifolia, bourbonia, and damascena); siamwood eo; tuberose abs; ylang abs

In perfumery can be used in garland perfumes; sacred perfumes, high class florals

Kadam/Kadamba Tree in Literature
It is evening. The rain is pouring in lance-like showers. Our lane is under knee-deep water. The tank has overflown into the garden, and the bushy tops of the Bael trees are seen standing out over the waters. Our whole being, on this delightful rainy evening, is radiating rapture like the Kadamba flower its fragrant spikes. The time for the arrival of our tutor is over by just a few minutes. Yet there is no certainty...! We are41 sitting on the verandah overlooking the lane[12] watching and watching with a piteous gaze. All of a sudden, with a great big thump, our hearts seem to fall in a swoon. The familiar black umbrella has turned the corner undefeated even by such weather! Could it not be somebody else? It certainly could not! In the wide wide world there might be found another, his equal in pertinacity, but never in this little lane of ours.
My Reminiscences, by Rabindranath Tagore

Near the unwalled city, the priest sat down before the pandit, Ratna
Ram, whose seat was under the kadamba tree by the temple of Maha Dev.
Ratna Ram was learned in the signs of different languages and could
write them with a reed, so that those who had knowledge could decipher
his writing, even after many days and at a great distance: Ratna Ram,
to whom the gods had given that greatest of all kinds of wisdom,
whereby he could hold secretly any knowledge and not speak of it till
the thing should be accomplished. (The pandit was well known to Skag
who studied Hindi before him for an hour or more, on certain days.)
Son of Power, by Will Levington Comfort and
Zamin Ki Dost

Ritûsamhâra is clearly a work of Kâlidâsa's immaturity. The youthful love-song in it does not reach the sublime reticence which is in Shakuntalâ and Kumâra-Sambhava. But the tune of these voluptuous outbreaks is set to the varied harmony of Nature's symphony. The moonbeams of the summer evening, resonant with the flow of fountains, acknowledge it as a part of its own melody. In its rhythm sways the Kadamba forest, glistening in the first cool rain of the season; and the south breezes, carrying the scent of the mango blossoms, temper it with their murmur.
Creative Unity, by Rabindranath Tagore
Close by on a mud-flat stood a large Kadamba tree in full flower. My
lord, the baby, looked at it with greedy eyes, and Raicharan knew his
meaning. Only a short time before he had made, out of these very
flower balls, a small go-cart; and the child had been so entirely happy
dragging it about with a string, that for the whole day Raicharan was
not made to put on the reins at all. He was promoted from a horse into a
groom.
The Hungry Stones And Other Stories, by
Rabindranath Tagore

In the middle of the sea of nectar,
In the isle of precious gems,
Which is surrounded by wish giving Kalpaga trees,
In the garden Kadamba trees,
In the house of the gem of thought,
On the all holy seat of the lap of the great God Shiva,
Sits she who is like a tide
In the sea of happiness of ultimate truth,
And is worshipped by only by few select holy men.
Adi Sankaracharya's
Soundarya Lahari
Translated bY P. R. Ramachander

After the rain a gentle breeze springs up
while the sky is overlaid with clouds;
one sees the horizon suddenly in a flash of lightning;
moon and stars and planets are asleep;
a heady scent is borne from kadambas wet with rain
and the sound of frogs spreads out in utter darkness.
How can the lonely lover spend these nights ?
Page 1
SANSKRIT
POETRY
from Vidjäkara's "Treasury" TRANSLATED BY
DANIEL H. H. INGALLS

As the temperatures had cooled down considerably Naveen suggested we visit a place which he knew had some Kadam trees. This is very important from our fragrance research viewpoint as Kadam flowers are greatly valued for the wonderful fragrance they impart to attars. Outside the city we came to a tiny village where we asked an elderly farmer if he knew how we could find the place where Naveen had heard their was Kadam trees. The farmer told us that he would be happy to guide us there himself so he got in the car and off we went on another fragrant adventure. After a few miles we left the tarred road and followed a dirt one until it ended in a small ravine at the gate of an ancient temple. Once again I felt we had entered a forgotten world where anything and everything was possible. The kind and gentle soul which had guided us to this serene spot told us that many centuries before a great sage had settled here and became absorbed in meditation. In India it is believed that nature blesses that place where meditation is being done and so, in this case, a grove of Kadam trees began to grow up around his hermitage. They became so thick that it created a canopy of foliage above the place where he was sitting. The flowers when in bloom gave off their delicious aroma from 3-6 AM the time considered most auspicious for spiritual practice. Many old Kadam trees still surrounded the temple and we wandered about in search of some that were in bloom. This is the season in which they flower but their full crop usually appears only when the monsoon rains begin. A beautiful grouping of old and gnarled trees surrounded a stone lined well and the elderly farmer told us that this was a sacred place where Sita use to do her daily ablutions when she and Rama stayed here on their way to Ayodhya from Sri Lanka. Their story is recounted in the Ramayana one of the most famous epics in India. As we walked up the ravine we found more and more Kadam trees but none seemed in bloom. We came upon a forest department nursery tucked neatly away in the ravine that served as a propagation station for neem and other trees that were known to do well in this location. Thousands of tiny saplings were growing there in the shade of mature neem and peepul trees. We asked the watchman if he knew of any Kadam trees in bloom and he directed us to spot to the side of the road upon which we had come. We were overjoyed to find several trees with both mature flowers and new buds emerging. At the time of our discovery a number of village children appeared on the scene. They were asked to collect some flowers from the higher reaches of the tree in a flash they were scrambling up the trunk and onto the limbs. Laughing and chattering merrily they nimbly collected flowers while I took pictures of them. They were delighted to render this service and we were delighted to see their absolute spontaneity, innocence and purity. Their eyes sparkled with joy and happiness and there voices were like the melodious chirping of birds. They collected a small bundle of flowers and returned to the ground with their treasure in hand. And what a treasure it was. The fragrance of Kadam is rich, mellow, and delicious.
Kadam Newsletter





Links to Kadam/Kadamba/Anthocephalus cadamba
Human Flower Project-Pom-Pom of the Monsoon
Kadam Flower Article
Kadamba Tree-Wikipedia Article
A dictionary of the economic products of India, Volume 1 By George Watt
Indian herbal remedies By C. P. Khare
Plant lore, legends, and lyrics By Richard Folkard

Ambrette/Musk Seed(Abelmoshus moschatus) wild harvest/India

Images of Abelmoschus moschatus/Musk Ambrette/Ambrette Seed
Olfactory Properties of Ambrette Seed/Abelmoshus moschatus essential oil/India wild harvest
The essential oil of Ambrette Seed which is distilled from the concrete of Ambrette Seed is a viscous reddish brown liquid which solidifies into waxy mass(which melts easil with gentle) heat in cool temperatures. This concentrated essential oil has a distinctly different bouquet from the co2 extract and the absolute. The initial olfactory impression is one of a rich, complex, earthy, musky, tobacco, ripe fruity fragrance with little of the sweetness which one encounters in the absolute and the co2 extract. Later on as the essence passes into the heart note and dry out phases a delicate sweet floral-musky aroma comes forth amidst the more earthy-fruity-tobacco like notes. The richness and tenacity of the essential oil are very good

Blends well with aglaia odorata absolute; amberi attar; angelica root and seed eo and co2; amyris eo; araucaria eo; benzoin abs and resinoid; bergamot eo; bois de rose eo; carrot seed eo, co2 and abs; cassie abs; cedarwood eo's and abs; cistus eo and abs; clary sage eo and abs; coriander seed eo and co2; costus eo and co2; cubeb eo; cypress eo and abs; elecampane root eo and co2; fir balsam abs; frankincense eo, co2 and abs; galbanum eo, co2 and abs; guaiacwood eo; juniper berry eo, co2 and abs; labdanum eo and abs; lavender eo, co2 and abs; lavindin eo and abs; myrrh eo, co2 and abs; mastic eo and abs; mimosa abs; musk black attar; opoponax eo and abs; orris root eo, co2 and abs; rose eo and abs; pine eo's and abs; sandalwood eo, co2 and abs; spruce eo's and abs; styrax eo and resinoid; tonka bean abs; vetiver eo, co2 and abs

In natural perfumery is valuable in amber bases, chypre, fougere, forest notes, musk accords, earth accords; incense blends, sacred perfumes, oriental bases


Links to Ambrette Seed/Musk Seed(Abelmoshchus moschatus)
Indian medicinal plants, Volume 1 By Warrier
World spice plants By Johannes Seidemann
Plants and people of Nepal By Sanjay Manandhar
Wikipedia Article on Ambrette Seed
Muskdana or Ambrette (Abelmoschus moschatus): Aromatic and Medicinal
Aromatic Plants: Vol.01. Horticulture Science Series By Baby P.Skaria
Cultivation Of Medicinal And Aromatic Crops By Farooqi A.A., B.S. Sreeramu