Gloriously Fragrant

I love perfumes, especially French Perfumes. I am addicted to them and I have to confess that over the years I have accumulated quite an impressive collection. I keep them hidden away in their original packaging in a dark cupboard. This has preserved their lovely fragrances. One range I am particularly fond of is made by Guerlain under the name of Aqua Allegoria. They feature a number of floral fragrances most of which are as near as possible to the flowers they are named for. Lavender, rose, lilies etc. My current favourite is “Flora Nerolia.” It has an almost identical fragrance to one of my favourite flowering shrubs, “Mock Orange” or Philadelphus. We have a large one in our garden and its fragrance is quite intoxicating. I have blipped an image of it this evening. Some years ago when I last visited England I came across a big group of these plants in Kensington Gardens. Their fragrance led me to them! I saw more of these shrubs in England than I have seen in a lifetime in New Zealand. They are a delightfully old-fashioned shrub and I have fond memories of one growing in my parents rambling garden in Christchurch as I was growing up.