DSH Perfumes Giardini Segreti Collage by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz
Sixteen years ago award-winning artisan perfumer Dawn Spencer Hurwitz created a series of travel inspired perfumes which waxed lyrical – an aromatic chronicle of her own intimate Italian Journey. Two in the series, now in the Limited-Edition Heirloom Elixir portfolio are DSH Perfumes Giardini Segreti and the very first in the series Essenza Dell Ibisco #1.
Map of Venice circa 1866 via etsy
Find me an artist who doesn’t love Venezia, and I’ll show you a liar. She may go by many appellations: La Serenissima, La Dominante, Queen of the Adriatic, The Floating City – but Venice is named after a 10th century BC tribe called the Veneti, an Indo-European people inhabiting northeastern Italy at the time. This cluster of 118 tiny islands divided by numerous canals and connected by 400+ bridges has always been an important port of call, international commerce and waterway to the East. Venice profited greatly from its role at the height of the Silk Road during the 15th century, and its cuisine and perfumery benefited from such cross-cultural exchange.
Via Dersut Magazine
In Venice, art is everywhere – whether it is architecture, fine art, music, or fine living you crave. The natural environs of this man-made city enfold secret gardens, giardini segreti sequestered behind locked gates and walled expanses. Influential folk such as Frederic Eden and Peggy Guggenheim purchased valuable property and created monumental private gardens (Peggy turned hers into a museum sculpture garden, a contemporary treasure).
TheArofGardeningBuffalo.com Peggy Guggenheim’s garden in Venice “Two Figures” Luciano Minguzzi
Visionary writers such as Marcel Proust, Rilke, Cocteau, and Henry James were frequent guests of Eden as well as renowned actress Eleonora Duse. Peggy entertained countless artists, friends and lovers while curating a collection of stunning modern art, sculpture in particular – which graces her museum garden even today. Monasteries nurture their hidden green enclaves. Families whisper behind facades which mask gardens wild and cultivated, far from inquisitive eyes.
Sandro Boticelli La Primavera detail
Dawn’s personal experience sings to us of ivied walls, riotous seductive blooms which waft upon Adriatic breezes. Her clandestine Venice is populated by the familiar (rose, geranium, orange blossom, honeysuckle, gardenia, jasmine), the exotic (tiare, tuberose, Parma violet), the brilliant (bergamot, bitter orange, neroli, mimosa) the sumptuous (acacia honey, French beeswax, ambergris, sandalwood) and the sagaciously disturbing (oakmoss, castoreum, musk). Giardini Segreti is full-throated and extravagant; it basks in the unabashed glory of breathing fully floral with lungs flung wide open like a window to the sun. Every breath a sacred sensuous moment, a private indulgence. Midsummer in the Venezia of our hearts’ fond imaginings is within arms’ reach. A furtive glimpse behind closed doors, gates left ajar which lead to effulgent blossoms and thriving greenery.
DSH Perfumes Giardini Segreti aka Italian Journey No.3, 2004 photo Dawn (archival)
I have smelled both the original and the current Heirloom Elixir, and each possesses its own beauty. Dawn was able to discover quality tiare and honeysuckle absolutes which made it possible to re-issue Giardini Segreti. Her main concern was an inability to find a gardenia absolute comparable to the Indian one she employed initially; the lovely tiare which she used is more indolic and required reconfiguring her jasmine and tuberose notes in order to achieve the balance she desired. “It’s a really dense floral!”, Dawn laughed as we discussed the materials. Giardini Segreti is a favorite of our Editor-in-Chief and Dawn’s delightful artist mother in law (her sculpture renders me speechless), who requested the fragrance be brought back. I’m so grateful they did – if only for the fact that Giardini Segreti makes one both feel and smell beautiful.
Notes: bergamot, bitter orange, Italian neroli, leafy green accord, galbanum, damask rose absolute, Egyptian rose geranium, green rose leaves, jasmine grandiflorum, jasmine sambac, honeysuckle absolute, mimosa absolute, orange flower absolute, gardenia, tiare absolute, tuberose absolute, orris concrete, Parma violet, violet leaf absolute, acacia honey absolute, French beeswax, ambergris, green oakmoss, castoreum, Australian sandalwood, musk
Sample and perfume generously provided by Dawn as a gift – I cherish my bottle! My nose is my own…
~ Ida Meister, Senior Editor and Natural Perfumery Editor
collage via DSH Perfumes
Michelyn’s Editor’s Note: We have reviewed almost all of the 2019 Heirloom Elixirs, including Highland Idyll Heirloom Elixir No. 11,read Ida’s review here (we missed Snowflakes of Venice #10). Please take a moment to read Gail’s review of #9 Lautrec (which was an adaptation of a perfume Dawn made for CaFleureBon’s First Birthday here, #8 Gold Leaf here. Lauryn’s review of Sharkskin # 7 here and Wild Coyote # 6 here. You can read Ida’s review of #5 White Rabbits here and Love is Everything #4 here, Number #2 and #3 Oudh Blanc and Aoud Noir by Lauryn here. The first was Essenza dell Ibisco, which I had the honor of collaborating with Dawn and reviewed by Ida in 2018 here. You can read about the Heirloom Elixirs here
Thanks to the generosity of Dawn Spencer Hurwitz we have a draw for a 10 ml rollerball of either eau de parfum or voile de parfum Giardini Segreti for one registered reader worldwide. Please be sure to register. To be eligible please let us know what appeals to you about Ida’s review and where you live. By now you must have a favorite DSH Perfumes, so please mention that as well. Draw closes 6/15/2020
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