march in the studio + in the garden
A delight to finally see the first signs of spring in the garden, just as my winter paperwhites were on their way out at the studio. I usually order about 40 -50 bulbs each season (this year it was the Ariel and Nir varieties), in order to keep a continuous display going in my 3 large glass jars and 3 individual bulb forcing glasses from the end of October, all the way through March, to keep spirits up. Opening the door to their scent each day is truly a gift. As soon as they were done, I needed something else lovely to smell as I packed up your orders at my shipping desk. This gorgeous bunch of tuberose from the corner deli did the trick!
I put together a special curated selection of vintage treasures precisely suited to the season (the snowdrop one sold in an instant, though I was terribly tempted to keep it for myself!), and can’t seem to ever make enough cardamom butter to keep you all satisfied. I’ve been working on a new botanical perfume based on the scent of the butter (cardamom, sandalwood and vanilla, and the perfume will have a beautiful, rich amber base), but it’s taking a little longer than I expected to get the balance of all the elements just right. Time turns out to be the secret ingredient. Updates to come, when the formula has fully settled.
below, clockwise from top left:
peach blossoms
bloodroot about to bloom (Sanguinaria canadensis)
hellebore (not sure which one)
the lovely blue-green emerging foliage of Aquilegia canadensis
A particular softness is in the air this week. Just enough to leave the windows open overnight. The seedlings at the garden are finally making progress after the rainy days of late April…