Hello plant friends,
As the gifting season is is approaching I wanted to give you an extra generous scents of the Earth from an extra generous trees.​Today you find three materials in your box; sweet orange oil, neroli and petitgrain bigarade. The three of them lovely materials that I love to work with all for very different reasons.
​
The sweet orange oil is uplifting and I keep a bottle in our car whenever I need a gentle wake up. In our perfume Repel it brings a sweet and gentle spark as an opening top-note. Neroli is one of my favorite florals. It is quite subtle and soft but in perfume it provides lift and openness. It is often used in baby care products and is so lovely and luxurious and gentle. Petitgrain bigarade is often used as a replacement for the pricier neroli but has so many qualities of its own. It is very airy, brings lift just like the neroli but it has a kind of textural element that is very difficult to put in words.
​
All of the materials are organic, all of them are safe to put on the skin, only the sweet orange essential oil should rather not be worn in the sun.
​​
With love,
Merle
In your box this month: (all organic)
sweet orange essential oil
petitgrain bigarade essential oil
neroli essential oil 10% in coconut oil
Orange leaves
​
​The orange tree is a treasure trove for perfumers, offering different essences from each of its parts. Petitgrain comes from its leaves and twigs, neroli from its blossoms, and bitter orange essential oil from the fruit’s peel.
Therefore the orange tree reveals many faces in perfumery. In one fragrance, the orange blossoms evoke tenderness and innocence, recalling its association with baby care. In another, the essential oils from the fruit’s peel transforms into a symbol of confident womanhood or even opulent sensuality. The orange tree’s versatility makes it a perfect perfumer’s muse.
​
​
​
“The scent of orange blossoms in the evening air is a perfume of life, reminding me that every moment is a gift, and like the citrus fruits, there is sweetness in the waiting.”
​
How orange took over Europe
The story of the orange tree begins in the lush and sun-drenched landscapes of Southeast Asia, where it thrived long before the Western world had ever heard of it. For centuries, the vibrant tree remained a treasure of the East, until the Romans brought the orange tree to the Mediterranean. However, these early oranges were quite different from the sweet and juicy fruit we enjoy today. Among the first citrus varieties to arrive in the Mediterranean was the ancient and highly sour citrus fruit Citrus medica.
By the first century, the Romans had become completely captivated by citrus fruits, though not to eat but praised for their medical use and beauty. Oranges were mostly admired in pots and gardens and considered as powerful antidotes to poison. You can still find oranges in ancient art and architecture in Rome today, which tells the tale in citron motifs in sculptures, mosaics and paintings.
Centuries later, the great Arabic culture of the 10th century unlocked the scent from the orange tree. Mastering the art of distillation, they extracted fragrant orange blossom oil and floral water, which quickly found their place in the perfumes and medicines of medieval Europe. These aromatic creations wove the orange tree into European life, paving the way for the beloved fruit we know today—a symbol of sweetness, vitality, and sunshine.
​
Etymology
The origin of the name Neroli, tied to the beautiful scent of orange blossoms, is shrouded in mystery. Some suggest it traces back to Emperor Nero, a known lover of the mosts lavish perfumes, who famously filled his dinner parties with the fragrance of orange blossom. Others believe the name predates Nero, and is derived from the Sabines, who valued the scent's intensity and named it Neroli from the word ‘nero’, meaning ‘strong'.
​
The most widespread story, however, is Neroli gets is name from the 17th-century Princess of Nerola; Marie-Anne de La Trémoille. She adored orange blossom and used it to perfume her gloves, clothes, and bathwater. Her influence in Paris made the essence so iconic that it became known as Neroli. It is striking that the flower was named after a woman, rather than the more customary tradition of naming a woman after a flower!
​
​
Oranges & art
The delicate petals and radiant fruits of orange trees have inspired artists for centuries. Ancient scholars believed oranges to be the “golden apples” of immortality from the Garden of Hesperides. This was a Greek mythology about an enchanted garden belonging to Hera, queen of the gods. In this garden grew an orchard of trees which bore “golden apples” said to give immortality to those who ate them. The golden glow from these apples was also thought to be the source of sunsets. The job of looking after the garden was given to the Hesperides who were the nymphs of the evening and the light of the sunsets. The fruits from these trees ware also sacred to Venus – the goddess of love.​
​
​
​​
​
​
“Venus’s fruit is the golden apple, the Orange, because the experience of love is both bitter and sweet.” - Liza Schultz
The Princess of Nerola: Marie-Anne de La Trémoille.
​
​​​​
You can find this symbolism in Sandro Botticelli’s masterpiece ‘Primavera’, where flowering orange trees heavy with fruit, create a lush backdrop for Venus. In Renaissance art, orange trees symbolized love, prosperity, and the promise of a long, happy marriage. At the heart of the painting, beneath the canopy of branches adorned with silver and gold stars, you’ll find Venus, the goddess of love, with Cupid fluttering overhead.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
La Primavera from Sandro Botticelli (made: 1477–1482).
​
​
​​​​
Oranges in ancient Egypt
This fresco (found in the Tomb of Nebamum, Thebes in Egypt) visualizes a fishpond surrounded by a fruit orchard. Oranges held deep symbolic meaning for the ancient Egyptians, representing rebirth and eternal life, thanks to the evergreen nature of the orange tree. The fruit and its blossoms were commonly used in religious ceremonies, often as offerings to the gods and in funerary rituals. You can still find orange trees in vibrant motifs like this one, where scenes of orange groves and fruit orchards evoke the promise of renewal and immortality.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
The scent of sweet orange
Orange smells are a world unto themselves and a study in subtle diversity. Sweet orange oil is sweet and fresh, whereas bitter orange oil is dry and delicate, with a floral banknote. We love our sweet orange essential oil. It's delicately sweet and tangy with the aroma of fresh cut oranges. Its familiar aroma brings a smile to the face and it's also wonderful to diffuse for uplifting the spirit and awaken the senses. Sweet orange is a lovely fresh, fruity top note.
Sweet orange in perfume
Sweet orange is one of the top notes in our fragrance Repel. With a heart of Lavender absolute and Clary Sage it has a wonderful grounding and sweet base. What binds all these natural materials in Repel is that they contain molecules plants produce to repel certain insects or other nibblers. Hence the name Repel. An invigoration perfume with a little extra.
Sweet orange can also be found in Un jardin sur le Nil from Hermes. This fragrance is a composition inspired by the gardens alongside the Nile in Egypt. Sweet orange plays a key role, adding a burst of citrusy sweetness, balanced by other green and floral notes, creating a vibrant scent.
The scent of Neroli
Neroli oil is distilled from the bloom of the bitter orange tree, Citrus Bigardia, the only tree whose flowers, leaves, and fruit all yield materials for perfumery. It’s aroma is very powerful, yet light and uplifting with an unusual fresh, sweet, terpene-like, somewhat bitter green top note. Next to Rose, Jasmine, and Ylang Ylang, Neroli is probably one of the most frequently used florals in perfume. It goes hand in hand with floral and oriental accords, bringing them a bright, green, natural freshness.​
​
​
​
Neroli in perfume
Neroli has been a key ingredient in many iconic perfumes over the years due to its fresh, floral, and slightly citrusy scent. One of the most famous perfumes of all time, Chanel No. 5 is a blend of floral and sparkling notes. Neroli is part of its bouquet, contributing to its fresh, floral top notes along with jasmine and ylang-ylang. The inclusion of neroli adds a light, zesty touch to the overall composition.
Neroli can also be found in Neroli Portofino from Tom Ford. This perfume is all about showcasing neroli, paired with citrus, floral, and amber notes. It evokes the Mediterranean coast, with neroli providing the key floral signature in this bright scent.
​
​
"Oranges" (1991) – David Hockney
​
​
​
​
​
DIY: Orange Pomander
​
Creating a fragrant pomander ball is a simple way to bring the warm, citrusy scent of oranges into your home. This is a very old tradition that I love to create each year at home as a beautiful and aromatic decoration.
To begin, take a fresh orange and, using a small sharp object, carefully pierce the skin in a pattern or design of your choice. Next, gently push whole cloves into the holes, spacing them evenly across the fruit. The clove not only adds a lovely scent but also complements the bright fragrance of the orange.
Hang your creation in a place where it can gently release its perfume, such as near a window or in a closet. Over time, the orange will dry and become even more fragrant, filling your home with the comforting, natural scent of the season.​​
Oranges by Gary Soto
​
​"I picked a tangerine,
And in the afternoon
We walked on into a gray
Store, where she put her hand
On the counter, and I handed her
The tangerine."
​
- An excerpt from his famous poem 'Oranges'
Portrait of a Lady, circa 1539 @ Allen Memorial Art Museum
​
​
​
​
​
Reach out or say hi
Gyeol by director Jin Angdoo.
​
​
​
​
​
Thank you so much for accompanying me on this fascinating journey through the realm of perfuming materials, where we explore not only the sensory beauty of scents but also the deeper intelligence of plants and their natural essences. It’s been a wonderful adventure, navigating the intricacies of fragrance and nature’s wisdom. I’d love to hear your thoughts and insights on this experience!
​
​
​
or DM @linguaplanta