This morning is sort of grey, but I hope for sun later in the afternoon, especially as we need some sun when doing the video interview this afternoon. It is a more general interview on perfumery, inspiration, memories, by a  Swiss channel and I am really looking forward to look it. I was asked to bring some books on perfumes, or flowers, and I will probably bring my great perfume flacon collection book. It is by Barnard Gangler, called Parfums de Collection, Deux Siècles parfumés, with pictures taken by Brice Agnelli. In total the book contains something like a thousand pictures. Thus, this will be all exciting.

Exciting like yesterday. I had a lovely chat on flowers, gardens, perfumes, and … gardenia. When I was in Rome, next to the hotel, right around the block, there was a lovely flower shop and they had one gardenia pot after the other. Amazing! Thus, the chat yesterday afternoon made me double check again an article about research on gardenia’s head space late last night. Some of the molecules I do not know, but ordered them from SIAL right now, as I am curious. Some of the head space molecule I know. And as always, it seems as if a very large part of the flower’s unique character is due to minor components. Actually,  minuscule components far below 1 percent.

Main components are farnesene, ocimene, linalool, methly benzoate, some tiglates, and some lactones.

Natural head space, my nose, tells me: sweet spices, with a touch metallic green, the spices being a mixture of clove buds and peppery cinnamon, a powdery envelop, and a fruity sweetness that is creamy and reminds me of a banana – coconut combo with some vanilla. A combo that makes you go “hmmm!” when it hits your nose.

As I was in some sort of gardenia mood, I ordered a plant from my local florist. I cannot wait. The picture today shows you one of the molecules identified by head space analysis: Ocimene. It is supposed to smell “green, metallic, citrus”. We will see.