Any company with a range that reaches a twenty-year anniversary is to be congratulated. Two decades is, after all, a long time to retain customer loyalty in today's trend-driven market. With more and more companies offering similar products there has to be something special to keep the original alive, and this certainly applies when it comes to Crabtree & Evelyn. The brand launched in 1972 but one of its most iconic ranges arrived in 1997, the Gardeners Collection. In celebration of its twentieth birthday Crabtree & Evelyn has released a candle in the same scent, but does it really measure up?
Crabtree & Evelyn is always thought of as a “most British brand”, but its history is not quite what you might imagine. The company was founded by Cyrus Harvey in Connecticut before going on to become a global success. Originally concentrating on selling a selection of soaps that were sourced from around the world, Cyrus soon began the transition to creating his own branded products. With a strong desire to work with botanicals and aromatic ingredients, Harvey and his wife, Rebecca, made their love of gardening and the outdoors into a profitable and exciting business.
When the company started to move outside of the soap market they were picked up by the blossoming trend for vintage sounding products, but their point of difference was the high quality of their catalogue. They always tried to create a premium product at an affordable price, and this has remained their philosophy ever since. There were raised eyebrows from the industry when they started to make food items, but the public loved them. Again, they made products that sounded quintessentially British and proved once more that they really knew their market. If I’m honest, Christmas is not Christmas without a Crabtree & Evelyn shortbread!
So, onto 1997 and what would become one of the company’s most recognisable ranges, the Gardeners Collection. It’s interesting to remember that in 1996 Cyrus actually sold Crabtree & Evelyn, but the Gardeners Collection can almost be seen as a tribute to the couple that started the whole venture in the first place. The most popular part of the range was always the Gardeners Hand Scrub, which contained the scent of clover, lavender, sage, rosemary and thyme. With the addition of pumice it made the perfect product for the weary gardener and, whilst copied by other companies, has never been bettered.
To celebrate the anniversary of the collection, Crabtree & Evelyn decided to introduce three new products, an exfoliating soap, a balm and the candle. All of the products share the same basic scent, although for the candle the addition of eucalyptus, pine and lemongrass means that the scent radiates beautifully outdoors, but this is more than just an outside candle. When burned inside you get a wonderful feeling of having the garden doors wide open, and that is one thing that is not always possible with the British weather. If you love your candles then this is one that you should definitely try, and it even keeps the mosquitoes away!
The Gardeners Outdoor Candle is available from all Crabtree & Evelyn boutiques priced at £36 for 275g. [Sample provided by Crabtree & Evelyn]
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