The Magic Perfume

Perfume was produced and used since antiquity in Mesopotamia and Egypt. The process was developed and refined by the Romans and the Arabs. Archaeologs found in 2003 what probably is the oldest perfume in Pyrgos at Cypres. The word perfume derives from the Latin perfumare, meaning "to smoke through".

The perfumes date back more than 4,000 years. They were discovered in an ancient perfumery, a 4,000-square-meter (43,000 sq ft) factory housing at least 60 stills, mixing bowls, funnels, and perfume bottles. In ancient times people used herbs and spices, such as almond, coriander, myrtle, conifer resin and bergamot as well as flowers.

In the 9th century the Arab chemist Al-Kindi (Alkindus) wrote the Book of the Chemistry of Perfume and Distillations, which contained more than a hundred recipes for fragrant oils, salves, aromatic waters, and substitutes or imitations of costly drugs. The Persian chemist Ibn Sina (also known as  Avicenna) introduced the process of extracting oils from flowers by means of  distillation, the procedure most commonly used today. He first experimented with the rose.  Rose water was delicate, and immediately became popular. The art of perfumery was known in western Europe from 1221, taking into account the monks' recipes of Santa Maria delle Vigne or Santa Maria Novella of Florence, Italy. The first modern perfume was a mixture of scent oils and alcohol. It was produced in 1370 in Hungary and was called Hungarian water. Modern perfumery began in the late 19th century with the commercial synthesis of aroma compounds  such as vanillin or coumarin.

The art of perfumery prospered in Renaissance Italy, and in the 16th century the personal perfumer to Catherine de Medici (1519–1589), Rene the Florentine (Renato il fiorentino), took Italian refinements to France. His laboratory was connected with her apartments by a secret passageway, so that no formulae could be stolen en route. Thanks to Rene, France quickly became one of the European centers of perfume and  cosmetics manufacture. Cultivation of flowers for their perfume essence, which had begun in the 14th century, grew into a major industry in the south of France
Between the 16th and 17th centuries, perfumes were used primarily by the wealthy to mask body odors,  resulting from infrequent bathing. Partly due to this patronage, the perfume industry developed.  In 1693, Italian barber Giovanni Paolo Feminis created a perfume water called Aqua Admirabilis, today best known as eau de cologne.

By the 18th century the Grasse region of France, Sicily, and Calabria (in Italy) were growing aromatic plants to provide the growing perfume industry with raw materials. Even today, Italy and France remain the center of European perfume design and trade.

The first fragrance labeled a "parfum" extract with a high concentration of aromatic compounds was Guerlain's Jicky in 1889. The conventional application of pure perfume (parfum extrait) in Western cultures is at pulse points, such as behind the ears, the nape of the neck, and the insides of wrists, elbows and knees, so that the pulse point will warm the perfume and release fragrance continuously. According to perfumer Sophia Grojsman behind the knees is the ideal point to apply perfume in order that the scent may rise. The modern perfume industry encourages the practice of layering fragrance so that it is released in different intensities depending upon the time of the day. Lightly scented products such as bath oil, shower gel, and body lotion are recommended for the morning; eau de toilette is suggested for the afternoon; and perfume applied to the pulse points for evening. Cologne fragrance is released rapidly, lasting around 2 hours. Eau de toilette lasts from 2 to 4 hours, while perfume may last up to six hoursA variety of factors can influence how fragrance interacts with the wearer's own physiology and affect the perception of the fragrance. Diet is one factor, as eating spicy and fatty foods can increase the intensity of a fragrance. The use of medications can also impact the character of a fragrance. The relative dryness of the wearer's skin is important, since dry skin will not hold fragrance as long as skin with more oil.

JICKY is a perfume by the House of Guerlain. Introduced in 1889, it is the oldest continuously-produced perfume in the world. Jicky was one of the first perfumes created with the addition of synthetic materials , and was the first abstract perfume in history, meaning it is not based on a single note. Its perfume notes include: spice,lemon, lavender, wood and vanilla. Its stopper is shaped like a champagne cork. According to legend, it was named after a girl Aimé Guerlain had a crush on when he was a student in England.

 Joy is a perfume created for Parisian couturier Jean Patou by perfumer Henri Almeras in 1929 . It is considered to be one of the greatest fragrances created and is a landmark example of the floral genre in perfumery. Joy was created as a reaction to the 1929 Wall Street Crash, which had diminished the fortunes of Jean Patou's wealthy American clientele. Despite its elevated price and the depressed economic environment, Joy became a success and has remained Jean Patou's most famous fragrance. In 2002, the House of Jean Patou created Enjoy, a contemporary take on Joy meant for younger women.Joy is composed primarily of a combination of jasmine and rose; 10,000 jasmine flowers and 28 dozen roses are required to create 30ml of the parfum, contributing to its high retail price. Joy also contains other flowers such as yland ylang, michelia and tuberose. Given its many ingredients, Joy does not smell like a specific flower. The original bottle, designed by French architect and artisan Louis Süe, was designed to have a simple, classical feel ."Joy" was voted "Scent of the Century" by the public at the Fragrance Foundation FiFi awards in 2000, beating its rival "Chanel No 5". Joy is preserved in its original 1930 formulation in the archives of the Osmothéque donated to the collection by Jean Kerléo  (formerly head perfumer at Jean Patou) .

Chanel No. 5 is the first perfume launched by French couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. The chemical formula for the fragrance was compounded by French-Russian chemist and perfumer Ernest Beaux. Traditionally, fragrance worn by women had adhered to two basic categories: respectable women favored the pure essence of a single garden flower, and sexually provocative perfumes heavy with animal musk or jasmine were associated with women of the demi-monde, prostitutes or courtesans. Chanel felt the time was right for the debut of a scent that would epitomize the flapper and would speak to the liberated spirit of the 1920Chanel envisioned a design that would be an antidote for the precious fussiness of the crystal fragrance bottles then in fashion, popularized by Lalique and Baccarat. Her bottle would be "pure transparency ...an invisible bottle." It is generally considered that the bottle design was inspired by the rectangular beveled lines of the Charvet toiletry bottles, which, outfitted in a leather traveling case, were favored by her lover, Arthur Boy Capel. Some say it was the Whiskey decanter he used that she admired and wished to reproduce in "exquisite, expensive, delicate glass."The first bottle produced in 1919, differed from the Chanel No. 5 bottle known today. The original container had small, delicate, rounded shoulders and was sold only in Chanel boutiques to select clients. In 1924, when "Parfums Chanel" incorporated, the glass proved too thin to sustain shipping and distribution. This is the point in time when the only significant design change took place. The bottle was modified with square, faceted corneThe "pocket flacon" devised to be carried in the purse was introduced in 1934. The price point and container size were developed to appeal to a broader customer base. It represented an aspirational purchase, to appease the desire for a taste of exclusivity in those who found the cost of the larger bottle prohibitive.The bottle, over decades, has itself become an identifiable cultural artifact, so much so that Andy Warhol chose to commemorate its iconic status in the mid-1980s with his pop-art, silk-screen, Ads: Chanel

At the end of World War II, Coco Chanel's wartime collaboration with the enemy during wartime menaced her with the exposure of her treasonous activities. In an attempt at damage control, she placed a sign in the window of her rue Cambon boutique, announcing that free bottles of Chanel No. 5 were available to American GIs. Soldiers waited in long lines to take a bottle of Paris luxe back home, and "would have been outraged if the French police had touched a hair on her head".In the 1950s the glamour of Chanel No. 5 was reignited by the celebrity of Marilyn Monroe. Monroe's unsolicited endorsement of the fragrance provided invaluable publicity. In a 1954 interview, when asked what she wore to bed, the movie star provocatively responded: "Chanel No. 5."In the 1960s the glossy fashion magazines such as Vogue and Bazaar presented Chanel No. 5 as a required accessory to every woman's femininity. Print advertising for Chanel No. 5 was staid and conservative in both visuals and text, eschewing the energy and quirky aesthetic of the burgeoning youth culture. Two catch phrases alternated as ad copy: "Every woman alive wants Chanel No. 5" and "Every woman alive loves Chanel No. 5."During the 1950s the ads had diminished the allure of Chanel No. 5, identifying it with a scent for sweet, proper co-eds whose style bibles were teenage fashion magazines. In the 1970s the brand name needed revitalization. For the first time in and its long history it ran the risk of being labeled as mass market and passé. The fragrance was removed from drug stores and similar outlets. Outside advertising agencies were dropped. The remaking was re-imagined by Jacques Helleu, the artistic director for "Parfums Chanel." Helleu chose French actress Catherine Deneuve for the new face of Chanel.In the 1990s, more money was reportedly spent advertising Chanel No. 5 than was spent for the promotion of any other fragrance brand. Carole Bouquet was the face of Chanel No. 5 during this decade. It has been estimated, as of 2011, that between $20 to $25 million is spent annually on marketing for Chanel No. 5.

In 2003, actress Nicole Kidman was enlisted to represent the fragrance. Film director Baz Luhrmann, brought in to conceive and direct a new advertising campaign featuring her, described his concept for what he titled No 5 The Film as "a two-minute trailer ... for a film that has actually never been made, not about Chanel No. 5 but Chanel No. 5 is the touchstone". The eventual commercial, produced in two-minute and 30-second versions, cost 18 million English pounds, with Kidman paid US$3.7 million for her workIn May 2012, the company announced that Brad Pitt would be the first male to advertise Chanel No. 5.In 2013 Chanel ran an advertising campaign using a recorded interview with Marilyn Monroe in which she is asked about her use of Chanel No. 5 fragrance. It featured Ed Feingersh's photograph of the actress splashing herself with a bottle of the perfume.In October 2014, Luhrmann again collaborated with Chanel, creating a second advertising campaign for No. 5, this time starring Gisele Bündchen and Michiel Huisman. Throughout the film, singer Lo-Fang performs his slower romantic rendition of "You're the one that I want".

 Shalimar is a women's fragrance originally created by Jacques Guerlain in 1921, as a classic soft amber (Oriental) parfum, and currently produced by Guerlain. Popular for 90 years, Shalimarwas created in 1921, and re-released in 1925, and launched at the Decorative Arts Exhibition as an antidote to The Great Depression. Jacques Guerlain was inspired by Mumtaz Mahal, the woman for whom the Taj Mahal was built. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan's  love for Mumtaz Mahal, his favourite wife, was so great that he built her the Garden of Shalimar in Lahore, Pakistan (and the Taj Mahal). Shalimar itself is currently produced in Shalimar Extract, Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette, Eau de Cologne, and Fleur de Shalimar Edition. Guerlain also markets Shalimar Parfum Initial, which has a different formula, color and fragrance than Shalimar. Shalimar is preserved in its original 1925 formulation in the archives of the Osmotheque, donated by Jean-Paul Guerlain. The fragrance can be described as vanilla, powdery and sweet. The fragrance contains bergamot, lemon, jasmine, rose, iris incense, opopanax, tonka bean  and vanilla. It is considered to be an Oriental perfume; spicy perfumes were popular during Shalimar's conception. The top note of the fragrance is bergamot. The middle notes are iris and rose. The base note is vanilla.  Shalimar is mentioned in the songs "Forty Shades of Green by Johnny Cash and "Madame George" by Van Morrison.  " In "House Arrest" (Season 2 Episode 11) of "The Sopranos" HBO,  Junior Soprano mentions to his doctor he sent a bottle to a medical assistant (Tracy) who had checked on him at his home after having a stent placed. In the 1989 Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor movie, "See No Evil, Hear No Evil", Richard Pryor's blind character identifies the villainess played by Joan Severance by her by her "beautiful smell", "Shalimar". In the 1971 thriller The Mephisto Waltz   Shalimar is the perfume favored by Jacqueline Bisset's character named Paula. At the film's conclusion when Paula's soul has been transferred in the body of Roxanne (Barbara Parkins) the character of Duncan Ely who is unaware of the change remarks to Roxanne, "isn't that the perfume worn by our late little housewife ?" In the movie "The Four Seasons", directed and starring Alan Alda. Shalimar is given as a gift. Shalimar is mentioned during the NCIS S11 E12. Ducky is performing an autopsy and asks Gibbs to take a whiff of the deceased. He tells him that the smell is expensive. 

Rive Gauche is a women's perfume launched by Yves Saint Laurent in 1971. The fragrance was composed in 1969 by perfumers Jacques Polge and Michael Hy at Roure. It was reformulated by Daniela Andrier and Jacques Hy at Givaudan in 2003. The all-aluminium silver and cobalt blue striped bottle was designed by Pierre Dinnand. The perfume was named after Yves Saint Laurent's   newly opened boutique in Saint-germain-des- Près, the first ready-to-wear store opened by a couturier. Perfume critic Luca Turin considered Rive Gauche as the "best floral aldehydic of all time". It is a classic aldehyde with a floral heart and woody base notes.

Opium is an Oriental-spicy perfume created for fashion brand Yves Saint Laurent (YSL), first marketed in 1977. Its top notes are a mixture of fruit and spices, with mandarin orange, plum, clove, coriander and pepper, as well as bay leaf. Its floral middle notes consist predominantly jasmine, rose and Lily of the Valley, in addition to carnation, cinnamon, peach and orris root. It is underlined by the sweet woody base note containing sandalwood, cedarwood, myrrh, opopanax, labdanum, benzoin and castoreum in addition to amber, incense, musk, patchouli, tolu and yetiver.

Opium caused a stir with its controversial name and brought accusations that brand designer Yves Saint Laurent was condoning drug use. In the United States, a group of Chinese Americans demanded a change of the name and a public apology from Saint Laurent for "his insensitivity to Chinese history and Chinese American concerns." They formed a committee called the American Coalition Against Opium and Drug Abuse, which expressed outrage at the choice of a name representing "a menace that destroyed many lives in China." But such controversies rather helped the perfume to be well-publicized, which soon became a best-selling scent. For its launch party in 1977, a tall ship Peking was rented from the South Street Sea Museum in New York's East Harbor, and writer Truman Capote sat at the helm of the ship at the party. The ship was draped with banners of gold, red, and purple, and the Oriental theme was displayed with a 1,000-pound (450 kg) bronze statue of the Buddha, decorated with white cattleya orchids. YSL carried the Oriental theme into its packaging design as well—the red plastic container holding the perfume's glass vial, designed by Pierre Dinand, was inspired by inro, the small Japanese lacquered cases that were worn under komonos and held perfumes, herbs and medicines.

Forbidden fruit from the house of Dior, Poison is the revolutionary fragrance that became a legend since it has been launched in 1985. An unrivalled alchemy; spicy, fruity, woody fragrance of enigmatic profoundness that mesmerizes the senses…forever. Top notes include coriander, wildberries, orange honey, tuberose are at perfume’s heart, while base note features opopanar. This dark, mysterious and elegant perfume, which won a FiFi award in 1987, was created by edouard flechier. In 2006, the house of Dior released the Poison Amulets. These are limited edition 15 ml purse sprays available in  Poison, Pure Poison, Tendre Poison and Hypnotic Poison; each comes with 2 refills and is packaged in a satin pouch with funnel. The bottles are very elegant while following the style and colors of the originals.


Tresor Perfume by Lancome is considered to be a modern classic by many fragrance critics and was composed by master perfumer Sophia Grojsman in 1990 . Juicy peach and ripe apricot adds dimension to a rose in full bloom tinged with amber. Softly rounded with no hard edges, this is a refined and romantic fragrance for women. Notes include apricot blossom, rose, lilac, iris, peach, amber, sandalwood, musk, and vanilla. All products are original, authentic name brands. Tresor is a treasure among perfume creations (‘tresor’ in French means ‘treasure’). It is one of the best-selling and most popular perfumes in the world.  



This is the first perfume of Cacharel, which was created in 1978. Anais Anais is a ultra-feminine fresh, rich and romantic bouquet of flowers. Transparent orange blossom with heady hyacinth open the composition. The intensive floral heart blends sweet rose, delicate white lily and magical jasmine. The base is composed of comforting amber, warm sandalwood with a tender touch of misterious incense. The successful Anaïs Anaïs was launched in 1978. It was followed by Cacharel pour l'Homme, Loulou, Eden, Loulou Blue, Eau d'Eden, Noa, Nemo, Gloria, Amor Amor, Amor Amor Eau Fraiche, Noa Fleur, Noa Perle, Promesse and Amor pour homme. The latest perfume to be launched is "Liberté", an orange chypre with fresh citrous top notes inspired by a traditional French cake called 'chamonix' and woody heart and base notes with patchouli. The person representing Liberté in ad campaigns is Brazilian born model, Gisele Bündchen, who is also the new face for the brand Cacharel Parfums, following Kate Moss who modeled for Anaïs Anaïs and Laetitia Casta for Promesse.

 

Wild Angelica/ Skov-Angelic

Angelica sylvestris


Although there is only one Angelica-species in Denmark it is often named Skov-Angelik (skov=forest). The plant is up to 2 m high. The stem is coarse, tunular and violet at the bottom, with broad leaf shafts. At the top the stem has fine hairs.The white or pale pink flowers are found in compact round heads at the top of densely hairy leaf stalks. This is a plant of damp grassland, marshes and wet open woods. In the garden, it is an excellent addition to the back of a border or by a pond or stream.

Angelica is unusual for its special aroma which is quite unlike that of other umbellifers like fennel, parsley, anise, caraway or chervil. Some garden writers liken it to musk, others to juniper. The seeds of angelica, which are bitter to taste, are used to produce a distillate employed in the flavouring of alcoholic beverages such as Vermouth, and of liqueurs, like Chartreuse. Angelica contains many vitamins, various essential oils and other biologically active substances - therefore it is used in folk medicins and as vegetable plant. It is eaten by cattle.

Medicine and Magic:
Like a surprising number of plants, Angelica was unknown to the ancients. Although found in the northern and temperate regions of Europe and eastward all the way to the Himalayas, it does not seem to have attracted attention until the 15th century and first appeared in European herbals in the early 1500's. Its name reflects the legend that an angel revealed its special virtues to a monk during a time of plague. Angelica wasn't believed to cure the plague but protect against it; a piece of root was held in the mouth as an antiseptic. In Germany, it was known as the root of the holy ghost and was believed to eliminate the effects of intoxication and also to render witchcraft and the evil eye harmless. In England, where it was also known as bellyache root, dried angelica roots were made into powder and mixed into wine to "abate the rage of lust in young persons." The plant was also given symbolic qualities: angelica stands for magic and poetic inspiration.

(Read the warning below). This herb is excellent in diseases of the lungs, gout, stomach troubles, heartburn, colic,dyspepsia and stomach upsets, sciatica and the heart. It is useful for skin lice, relieves itching, swelling, and pain. Regular users of Angelica root develop a distaste for alcoholic beverages. Chewing the root is recommended for people suffering from a hangover after excessive alcohol consumption. An infusion should be made from the leaves and chopped stems. This will also provide an excellent gargle for the treatment of sore tonsils and throats.



Superstition:
According to one legend Angelica (European Angelica) was revealed in a dream by an angel to cure the plague. All parts of the plant were believed effective against evil spirits and witchcraft. It was held in such esteem that it was called 'The Root of the Holy Ghost.' In America it was used by the Iroquois and other tribes as Witchcraft Medicine, and infusion of smashed roots was used as wash to remove ghosts from the house.

With blossoms scheduled to appear annually on the 8th of May, the feast day of St. Michael the Archangel, angelica is said to possess mystical powers against disease and evil. One reference claims this herb was named after the Archangel Raphael, who according to a 10th century French legend, revealed the secrets of this herb to a monk for use during a plague epidemic. In old-world Latvia, peasants would march into town with armloads off the fragrant herb and suddenly burst into song in languages that no one, not even the singers, understood.

Food: (Read the warning below)
It is said that the plant is useless for food, however it is known that it was used as a vegetable until the 20th century. The plant prevents scurvy and it can be stored. The stem was eaten fresh, and the leaves could be boiled to a stew for storage. It could later be cooked up with milk into a tasty dish. In dire times Wild Angelica has been an important source of nutrition. Angelica raw stalks are delicious when eaten with a little cream cheese, and the washed roots are also quite tasty. This plant is used to flavor many alcoholic drinks and its candied stem has long been used in confectionery.

Dyeing:
The flowers of the plant were used for dyeing wool yellow.

Angelica Oil:
The roots and fruits yield angelica oil, which is used in perfume, confectionery, medicine (especially Asian medicine), in salads, as teas, as a flavoring for liqueurs, and as the source of yellow dye. This robust and sweet-tasting plant is best known for decoration of cakes and puddings. Angelica lessens the need for sweetener when making pies or sauces. It can also be cooked and eaten as a fresh herb, used for seasoning fish, or made into syrup for pudding and ice cream toppings. The Norwegians make a bread of the roots. In the Lapland region, the stalks are regarded as a delicacy. A popular tea, tasting much like China tea, is infused from fresh or dried leaves.

Wasps and Queen Wasp upon Angelica

Warning: All members of this genus contain furocoumarins which increase sensitivity to sunlight and may cause dermatitis. Do Not take angelica if you are pregnant or have severe diabetes. Angelica has a tendency to increase the sugar in the urine. Angelica archangelica has been identified as a suspected carcinogen in recent years. This drug will render you sensitive to light. Use of angelica for a fairly long time, will cause contraindicate ultraviolet or tanning salon treatments as well as strong sunlight for the duration. Large doses can affect blood pressure, heart action, and respiration. To avoid these problems, do not exceed recommended dose.


Please Note: Angelica belongs to the Apiaceae Umbelliferae, a family with many poisonous members that can be mistaken for this medicinal plant. Wild angelica (Angelica Sylvestris) can be confused with European Water Hemlock, which is extremely poisonous. Do Not collect angelica yourself under any circumstances! It is recommended that angelica not be harvested unless positively identified by a trained botanist, habitat being the same as for the poisonous varieties.

Source: V.J. Brøndegaard, "folk og flora", Dansk Etnobotanik, Rosenkilde og Bagger 1980; Danmarks fugle og natur, Felthåndbogen 2012. 


photo ⓒ Høstemark Skov, Lille Vildmose, North Jutland september 2007: grethe bachmann.

Lavender/Lavendel

 Lavandula angustifolia

Lavender is rich in history and myth.

Lavender is an evergreen , perennial half-bush. Lavandula angustifolia is usually called English Lavender; it is about 1 m high with lightblue flowers, but there are other species with pink, violet or purple flowers. The origin of lavender is the western Mediterranean, where it still grows wild. By the Greeks the name Nordus is given to lavender, from Naarda, a city of Syria near the Euphrates, and many persons call the plant "Nard".  The ancient Romans lounged in lavender baths. It is an ancient medicinal plant, and it gives a relaxing feeling if it is put into the bath water. The old name lavander comes from lavare, meaning to bathe.

In the Middle Ages was lavender often spread in the streets, and it was found in each herb garden. On the Greek island Patmos was wild lavender spread in the streets in front of  the holy procession in the Easter-ceremonies. In the 1800-1900s people sewed small bags with lavender and put them into the lady-hats. This should prevent the ladies from fainting. (maybe because of their tight corsets!) Lavender was also familiar to Shakespeare, but was not a common plant in his time. In Spain and Portugal they still strew the floors of the church and house on festive occassions or to make bonfires at St. John's day.

Lavender belongs to the large plant family of mints. The plant is sun loving and need well-drained soil. The English lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, has over forty named varieties, from pastel blue to dark violet varieties.The French lavender, Lavandula stoechas is especially used in perfume production. Butterflies love lavender.  The beautiful butterflies and the sweet honey bees are always busy in the lavender patch. In various parts of France, Italy and England the plant is cultivated exclusively for its aromatic flowers - even as far north as Norway. It is also now being grown as a perfume plant in Australia. The essential oil is produced from the flowers and the flower stalks.


Lavender thrives well in pots and in the stone bed. It can take a very strong trimming and is easy to cultivate. It is popular as an edge-plant, often in front of the rose-bed or along the garden fence. Lavender can be trimmed after blooming or in the spring, before the plant starts a new growth. Lavender was already used in the 1500s to give scent for linen, and it is a good idea to plant lavender close to the clothes-line - and eventually put small pieces of cloth and socks to dry on the lavender bush. Both flowers and leaves are covered with small oil glands, and the strong aromatic scent stems from volatile oils. Flowers can be dried in bundles in an airy place and put into "breathing" pots. Keep them dry and dark. Lavender is not long-lifed in bundles. It is great for  making potpourri, lavender bottles, lavender bath splash. With its heavenly fragrance is it considered the premier of all perfume. Lavender is harvested in Provence for soaps, oils, perfume and delicious tea.

Kitchen
Lavender tastes fantastic, lavender with strawberries and white wine or ice cream, smells like summer, tastes like summer. It is not a common spice, but it is characteristic of the cuisine of Provence. Lavender is a part of Herbes de Provence and is used in meat dishes instead of rosemary. The strong aroma is also fine as a spice in drinks and as giving taste on vinegar. Try to sprinkle fresh flowers over pine-apples with ice or grill lamb chops with lavender. Freeze the flowers in ice cubes or put them in the dough for the buns. It can also be used as an unusual and extravagant flavouring for sweets and to lend a unique character to home made jams and fruit jellies. It is also used to spice honey and cake-creams - and small leaves can be plucked from the stalks and put into meat.


Medicine
Lavender's healing qualities grew through the centuries ever gaining the reputation of warding off the plague.
It has roots in ancient herbalists with its history of healing properties, glorious colours and enchanting perfume.
The effect of lavender is calming, refreshing, uplifting expansive, soothing etc. Lavender also alleviates motion-sickness. It is diuretic, calming in nervous illness in the stomach and is good as an inhalation for asthma-patients. Medicinal plants with an effective impact on the central nerve-system are often poisonous, but lavender is an exception. It impedes nervous tensions and nervous palpitation.

Today lavender is first of all used in lavender water and lavender oil. It is put into scented-pillows, scented bags and in potpourri.But it is also an effective herb for medicinal use. The oil is disinfectant and helps healing wounds and psoriasis. The oil contains 40 various substances; it might irritate the skin, but is at the same time increasing the afflux of blood to the skin, and it contains tannic acid, which makes it a good remedy against inflammation and wounds. The essential oil is used on insect bites, burns and blemishes. Rubbed on the forehead against migraine or upon the skin by rheumatic pain or neuralgia. Sprinking lavender oil on your pillow makes you fall faster asleep.

Lavender has found a modern status in aromatherapy, where the steam from a dekoct of lavender is inhaled, and it has succeeded in moderating mild depressions. Another effect is a remarkable alleviation in respitatory problems or a beginning cold.

















Folklore
 According to ancient belief you will be able to see ghosts, if you wear lavender twigs under your clothes. If lavender thrives well in your garden the girl in the house will not be married, for lavender thrives best by old maids. It was said to avert the eye of evil and was dedicated to the goddess of witches and sorcerers, Hecate. By burning the lavender the Devil could be kept at a distance. The plant is also said to have achieved its scent, when Virgin Mary washed the Infant Jesus' clothes and afterwards hung the clothes to dry on the plant. When she came to fetch the clothes, they had a clean and fine scent, and since then the plant has kept that scent. According to the flower language lavender is a symbol of mistrust.

Source: Geraldine Holt, Den store bog om krydderurter; Anemette Olesen, Danske klosterurter; Anemette Olesen, Krydderurter i haven.

photo: grethe bachmann

Snowdrop and Sweet Violet in Mary-Legends

 
















Snowdrop/Vintergæk
Galanthus nivalis
Many flowers changed their names at the arrival of Christianity to the North. All aromatic flowers were in the Middle Ages called violets. Snowdrop was a white violet, and the white shade was a symbol of purity. In the Christian church it became the memory of the day, where Mary brought Christ to the temple. But before this much superstition was attached to this flower. Since it was the first flower breaking through the black soil, it was said to be magical, and people had to treat it carefully. If the flower was plucked and brought indoors, it might foresay death or other evils. Another legend said that when Adam and Eve were driven out from the Garden of Eden they came to a cold and dark place, and Eve was disconsolate, until an angel showed, caught a snowflake and blew on it, changing it into a white flower.





















Sweet violet/Martsviol
Viola odorata
The sweet violet is together with lily and rose among the three noblest flowers. It is a symbol of Mary's humility,  and although other flowers were named violets in the Middle Ages the sweet violet is the one, which is most valued for its scent and colour. The humble sweet violet has the colour of Mary's royal robe.  The violet was used in cosmetics and perfume.

A Christian legend says that when Virgin Mary recieved the message about the birth of Christ, the archangel Gabriel came with a lily in his hand - and behind Mary grew a rose bush, but just outside her window stood the little sweet violet, who heard that Mary said: "Look, I am the Lord's handmaid." The archangel blessed the flowers, before he disappeared - and the flowers then got their lovely scent. Another legend says that the flower bowed their heads, when the shadow of the cross fell upon them, and since then they have been standing with bowed heads.

Source: Anemette Olesen, Marias Planter, Himlen ned på Jorden, 2007.


photo 2008: grethe bachmann