ROSMARINUS by Careys Secret Garden

There's something comforting about keeping things simple. In a world where everything seems to demand more, some of life’s greatest pleasures can be found in the uncomplicated things. A quiet walk, a cup of tea, or simply enjoying a fragrance that doesn’t shout for attention. Perhaps this is why simpler perfumes are finding a place within the new idea of “slow perfumery”, where part of the pleasure comes from taking time to appreciate the materials themselves. There's something refreshingly honest about that approach, and Rosmarinus from Simon Constantine and Careys Secret Garden captures it perfectly.

Simon Constantine has spent much of his career looking at fragrance from a slightly different angle. His journey began with LUSH, before moving into Gorilla Perfumes, and eventually his own ånd fragrance collection. However, originality has always sat alongside a strong commitment to environmental responsibility. There's a thoughtful quality to his work, but he's not afraid to have a little fun along the way. Ingredients, people and places all matter equally, and that gives his fragrances a sense of purpose without making them feel pretentious. It’s an approach that makes perfect sense when you hear the next part of his story.

Careys Secret Garden is a rather special place, and perhaps that is because it began as something that wasn’t really supposed to be there at all. The garden had remained hidden and largely untouched for around forty years before Simon’s family discovered it, leading to an ambitious project to restore the walled garden and bring it back to life. Today it combines traditional planting with scented plants, ecological projects and some rather unexpected corners. There is a central rose garden, herbaceous borders, fruit, pelargoniums and even a stumpery created from fallen trees. It is a garden designed to be experienced, which made perfume a natural extension.

It began with their Pelargonium Collection of four scents, but the new quartet is the Salvia Collection. This continues Careys Secret Garden’s exploration of plants through fragrance. Salvias are a family of aromatic plants that can be annuals, perennials, shrubs or evergreens. Often with aromatic leaves and distinctive flowers, this makes them useful subjects for a perfumer. Sclarea takes clary sage and gives it a fresh, fragrant character. Officinalis explores sage with sweet tea-like freshness and an old classic feel. Royal Bumble turns blackcurrant into something fruity, green and herbal. And then there’s Rosmarinus.

Rosemary in fragrances is a wonderful ingredient, you only have to look at classics such as Guerlain’s Jicky to see that, and in colognes it can really shine. Rosmarinus opens with a rush of aromatic heat thanks to the star ingredient of rosemary, with its campherous nuances, and a support of sun-scorched pine needles. However, there’s an excitingly bright and zesty quality also present thanks to the petitgrain. Its combination of herbal green notes, alongside orange peel touches, broadens the scent and makes it wonderfully refreshing. What is intriguing though is a vanilla-like sandalwood quality that comes through as it develops, hinting at the white and pliable stalks of the fresh rosemary bush. Aromatic fragrances are the perfect link from summer to autumn, and Rosmarinus really is a treat.

Rosmarinus is availale from the Careys Secret Garden webiste at careyssecretgarden.co.uk priced at £29.50 for 10ml. [Sample provided by Simon Constantine]