The Equinox, Spring and VIRIDITAS

The Great Wheel of the Earth has birthed itself once more, we stand together at a threshold of a new astrological year. Some astrologers, like Pam Gregory, view the arrival of new Earth on the horizon, although not quite in the "visible realm" as of yet.

Whether in the Northern or Southern hemisphere, this is a time we honor a transitional point of equality between the light & dark. A beautiful symbol of the balance point in this dualistic reality here on planet Earth.

This is a portal is a time of high magic. Sit with what is emerging within for this new cycle of transformation and dream big!

Viriditas is a guiding theme used constantly in the work of abbess Hildegard von Bingen. Literally meaning "greenness," the word has been translated in various ways, such as greening, freshness, vitality, fruitfulness, life-force, or growth.

Viriditas is a metaphor for spiritual & physical health, often as a reflection of the divine word or as an aspect of the divine nature."1

With the arrival of Spring and inspired by the concept of Viriditas,  I created a discovery set containing:

• Hedera helix,
• Q
• Green Witch &
• The Green Knight

And since I am working on the new Ritual Box I have made the Green Knight fragrance available as a sample set of the solid and EdP version.

For further exploring, I have added new perfume pages on the website here so that you can explore the his/her story of more fragrances.

Aligning with this green theme, healing and dreaming big, check out this film by Tom Flanagan introducing a song cycle titled Viriditas. It was created by Irish artist and vocalist Ceara Conway for The Deepest Shade of Green, an Arts and Health program for Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture. It includes newly composed contemporary songs, traditional European healing songs and rhythms, songs inspired by conversations with staff and patients, and songs which incorporate recordings of hospital equipment, plants, and the tools of sound healers. The album was performed as a series of intimate live performances in wards and corridors, televised to patients’ bedsides from a hospital chapel, recorded as a CD for gifting to patients across the seven hospitals of Saolta University Health Care Group, and is available for download at saoltaarts.com for everyone.

1 hildegarden.com/viriditas

Bee-ing Green

When I contemplate the “green” note in a perfume, it is so much more than just the scent. At the core are the ingredients, how are they grown, obtained, processed and then brought to the market. Is the soul of the plant, the quintessence, still contained in the material that is being used? Or have those energetic fields been stripped out, starting with the seed?

The subtle frequencies of the soul imprint, the deva, spirit guardian or angel of the plant, still vibrant...even at ppb (parts per billion)? Many of us yearn for communion with that soul essence, the botanical matrix of the plant.

Thus on this St. Patricks Day, I'm cheering for authentic green, to the pagans who were so intimately aware of these subtle energies and to all the defenders of Gaia.

Find the Emerald Green Honey Bee Compact here.

Photos & text ©RoxanaVilla

Happy Green!

Wishing you all a super fine green day from the Santa Monica Mountains! Our neighbor told us this joke today: "What is Irish sunscreen?" Answer is at the bottom of this post.

While my aunt was here visiting from Buenos Aires in the Autumn she brought a portion of the genealogy on my maternal side of the “Gardiner / Meagher O Maher” clan. Although I knew I was part Irish I didn't know exactly where it came from.

Michael Gardiner and Anne Meagher O’ Maher arrived to Argentina in 1854 from Liverpool. Michael and Anne had four children: Patrick, Daniel, James and Anne while in Ireland. Anne was born in Westmeath in 1834.

Anne marries Francisco Perez in La Merced de Buenos Aires, Argentina, they have four children: Francisco, Ana, Honoria and Josefa. Their son Francisco Perez-Gardiner (born Feb. 25, 1882) marries Rosa Groppo (born Dec. 29, 1889) on October 22, 1910.

Notice who the postcard is addressed to, I have a collection of her postcards at the perfumery and have used them quite a bit in my photographs, which you probably noticed.

Francisco and Rosa have seven children: Amelia, Ana, Dora, Francisco, Carlos, Elsa and Jorge.

Their daughter Ana (my grandmother) marries Victor Giusti (my grandfather). Ana and Victor have four children: Martha (my mother), Alfredo, Ali and the baby girl who died while a toddler.

Perfume to illuminate today is the floral, foresty green notes of Hedera helix.

The answer to the joke: "A pub"

Opening image: Photograph of Gwen by Greg Spalenka.

The Return of Persephone

Spring is officially here embarking on the time of rebirth, all things new, vital and green. The energetic impulse of the season births forth from the earth through the flowers. Everything feels fresh and alive. It's a playful time of year when we emerge from hibernation and begin peeling away what no longer serves. We come out of the darkness, shed our woolens and match the radiance of the sun with an inspired outlook on life and new vision.

These characteristics are more obvious in Northern climates, than in temperate zones like here in the City of Angels where we dwell in a more monotone climate. Never the less, we do can "feel" the energy of the season and can visibly see it in the blooming California poppies and other natives displaying their seasonal beauty.

Ah, which reminds me, the Theodore Payne Foundation will be having their Poppy Day Spring Sale of native plants and their spectacular once a year Garden Tour.

For some interesting insights about the energetics of Spring in terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), check out this post by Jennifer Raye on her blog.

Figure 1: Noir is a moist, loamy earth of perfume of early Spring compared to say the fresh greens in Hedera helix or Gracing the Dawn that embody her in full bloom mode. Where as Blossom, Lyra, Rosa, Cimbalom and Chiaroscuro are the waning of Spring and Summer. However, your intuition always trumps knowledge (in my opinion), follow your nose and go with what "feels" most appropriate for your self.

The opening image that accompanies this post is a painting by Lord Frederick Leighton of the mythological figure Persephone as she returns from her time in the underworld. The second image is a photo Greg took of Gwen Cunningham which illuminates Hedera helix, which is now ready as a liquid!

Verde que te quiero verde

Wishing you all a very green Feast of Saint Patricks day! I'll be wearing Hedera helix as my green scent.

In Buenos Aires, where I was born, my fellow Argentine descendants of the Land of Éire will be celebrating in the pubs downtown. The Irish in my roots comes from my maternal grandmother who had the surname Gardiner.

Verde que te quiero verde.

Verde viento.Verdes ramas

El barco sobre la mar

y el caballo en la montaña

~ Federico García Lorca

The greenest note in the palette of the botanical perfumer is galbanum, available as an essential oil, C02 extract and an absolute. GreenWitch, Gracing the Dawn and Hedera helix perfumes all contain galbanum. It's a note that requires mindfulness because of its strong vital character.

Want more on green, check out this post from the Perfume Illuminated series.

Erin go Bragh

A very happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone. Lucky us here in southern California we FINALLY got some rain, hooray! The plants and the honey bees must be so happy.

My perfume of the today shall be the super green Hedera helix, the runner up is GreenWitch. Both have a Celtic vibe to them, besides the rich and sparkling green notes of galbanum resin.

We are off the The International Printing Museum in Torrance to see the new film Linotype. The special screening includes a Q&A with director Doug Wilson. My inner geek is uper excited, I see on the website that they will be having museum activities which include linotype exhibits and typecasting. Drooling.

The title of this post "Erin go Bragh" means Irish forever, I've got one quarter Irish in my blood via my mothers side of the family. Image is a photo of my moms Irish clover crochet bookmark.

Botanical Tapestry

In the nineties we discovered and swooned over the work of artist Andy Goldworthy, now we have the french botanist deemed a "vertical garden designer" Patrick Blanc. Patricks glorious botanical tapestries are beautiful to gaze at while providing all the benefits of garden. I can just imagine the natural botanical perfume emanating from these pieces along with fresh, vibrant oxygen. Here in super dry Los Angeles they probably wouldn't work, unless of course he made them with California natives, even so in the hot summer months it would look pretty dry.


"Using a metal frame against a load-bearing wall, a framework of PVC pipe and layers of polyamide felt deliver water and nutrients to the vertically grown plants in a closed circuit system. Patrick Blanch has showcased his work in public and private spaces world wide." 1



So inspirational! I'd love to visit the wall at the Qantas Lounge at the Sydney Airport however one of his new projects at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden will probably be more do-able.


Andy Goldworthy
Patrick Blanc

1. Unforgettably Yours

Images:
Tree image Andy Goldworthy
Patrick Blanc: 1.Pont Max Juvenal, Aix en Provence, 2. GreenWall, 3. Le Mur Vegetal, Vertical Garden, Living Wall, Paris, France, 4. Vertical Garden in Caixa Forum, Madrid

Daily Dose of Green

Today's theme is green as I am going to filter the new batch of Hedera helix liquid and am making more GreenWitch. I smell very Spring-like and fresh, nice contrast for winter gloom.


The plant photos were taken at our local nursery called Sperling, the pinned bug is from our collection.

Images ©RoxanaVilla

For the Love of Ivy

A bit of poetic entanglement, a Hedera helix review by Donna Hathaway:

" It reminds me of her wonderful sea chypre GreenWitch, but Hedera Helix takes another direction. Instead of being of the sea, it is essentially of the forest, a walk in magical woodland where every step brings up the aroma of the greenery underfoot and the slightest breeze brings the scent of living things in all their mystery”

Read the review in its entirety directly at Perfume Smellin' Things and leave a comment to be entered in a draw for a sample set including Hedera helix the solid and liquid.

Image: La Pia de' Tolomei by Dante Gabriel Rossetti via Artmagick

Paradiso Perduto

I've been wearing Hedera helix almost daily as of late, sometimes by choice and sometimes just from making so much of it lately. My clothes are infused with the green, floral heaven that it is and since the longevity is tenacious I can often smell it on my skin the next day.

Last night Greg and I decided to re-watch one of my very favorite films of all time, the 1998 re-make of Great Expectations directed by Alfonso Cuarón. While breathing in the glorious green color script of this motion picture it occurred to me that Hedera helix is perfect for the Gwyneth Paltrow character Estella. Hedera is green, complicated, pretty, sophisticated, romantic, bewitching, dark and a tad snobby in a classic Chypre way.





Hedera helix is now available in all formats in the E-shop, enjoy and please let me know what you think. Are you captivated, entangled by it's classic chypre green charm?

The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses.
~Hanna Rion

Most of the screen shots from the film are via eldestandonly.com

Perfume Illuminated: Green

"Green how I want you green. Green wind. Green branches."
~ Federico Garcia Lorca

The day officially devoted to green may have been yesterday as we celebrated Saint Patrick, but here where the plant realm reigns supreme we cherish all things green everyday. As such today we will put on our garden clogs and take a walk into the lush verdant garden. Perfume gets Illuminated in the fragrance and flavors of green.

For 'tis green, green, green, where the ruined towers are gray,
And it's green, green, green, all the happy night and day;
Green of leaf and green of sod, green of ivy on the wall,
And the blessed Irish shamrock with the fairest green of all.
~Mary Elizabeth Blake

FRAGRANCE

The greenest note in my palette is Galbanum in all its various manifestations. Obtained from the resinous gums of the Ferula family this very green aromatic us available to the natural perfumer in the format of an essential oil, a C02 extract and an absolute. Each manifestation of this essence has its own unique expression of green. The essential oil contains the freshest quality of fragrance with the viscous resinoid moving further from the green spectrum into earthy, balsamic notes.

I've noticed that in general people aren't fond of the note on its own but tend to appreciate it immensely when it is well blended in a perfume formula. For the natural perfume the aromatic is extremely valuable for it's fixative qualities to add that elusive permanence that evades so many perfumes constructed with pure plant material. As a tenacious material this green fairy requires a skillfulness as too much can overwhelm and dominate.

In terms of color, one of the greenest of all fragrance materials is the varying conifer absolutes of Fir, Spruce and Pine. The raw material, like Galbanum resin, is viscous and somewhat tedious to work with.

Take thy plastic spade,
It is thy pencil; take thy seeds, thy plants,
They are thy colours.
~William Mason, The English Garden, 1782

The fougère family of perfumery with notable green "fern" notes was introduced using one of the very first synthesized aromatic notes, coumarin. A typical fougère fragrance contain a formula featuring lavender in the top note with oakmoss and coumarin in the base. For those of us using plant derived essences we utilize tonka bean to impart that rich coumarin note.


Here are the ingredients for a botanical Fougère perfume which I have adapted from a formula in the book Perfume of Yesterday from David Williams.

Bergamot
Lavender
Neroli
Tarragon
Geranium
Jasmine
Rose otto
Orange Flower
Clary Sage
Ylang Ylang
Accord of Amber
Birch
Oakmoss
Styrax
Patchouli
Sandalwood
Tonka Bean
Vetiver





Visually green is the color of life, nature, fertility and renewel. In film the color is very striking used profoundly in Great Expectation by Alfonso Cuarón.

The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses.
~Hanna Rion

FLAVOR

In flavoring green is abundant in the form of fresh green leafy vegetables and herbs. As we enter the Spring now is the time to cleanse the body and prepare it, like the earth, for the abundance of the new season.

Please continue on for a more expansive journey into the flavors of Green at the Windesphere Witch blog with fellow conspirator of Perfume Illuminated Beth Schreibman Gehring.

Images: Opening illustration ©Greg Spalenka. All other images and photography by Roxana Villa.

Inspiring Luck

“If you are lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it.”
~ Anon

What green fragrance are you wearing today? I'm working on the GreenWitch Solid on this blessed day of the land of Ire. The intention is to release the perfume on Sunday March 20th, for the Spring Equinox and start sending the creamy unguent out on Moonday the 21st.

"I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it. " ~Thomas Jefferson

Plants associated with luck fall under the influence of the largest planet in the heavens, Jupiter, also called Jove referring to Zeus, the King of the Gods. Jupiterean plants have regal, majestic and bold traits. The aromatics tend toward rich and warming, making Aumbre and Sierra Solid Gold a nice fit into this scheme on this Jupiter day.

I've got a little luck of the Irish in my blood via my mothers side of the family. Although I was born in Argentina my ancestry is European stock from Italy, Ireland and Spain.

Happy Saint Patties Day to each of you! Breath deep and visualize your most expansive dreams as you anoint yourself this day with an inspiring fragrance.

Planet Green

Almost one year ago a dialogue between Blythe of Planet Green and I began about the natural perfume. The yield of this synergy produced a slide show with some notations of what goes into an illuminated perfume.

Natural, World Changing Scents from Illuminated Perfume

Image: Q Natural History ©RoxanaVilla

Perfume Illuminated: Dandelions

Roses are red,

Violets are blue;
But they don't get around
Like the dandelions do.
~Slim Acres

The above than normal rainfall this year has produced splendid hues of green throughout the Santa Monica Mountains. The native Quercus agrifolia remain green all year while the other species of oaks commonly found here, Quercus lobata, lose their leaves and regain them in Springtime. For the most part the only other constant green throughout the year are the Rhamnus shrubs, also termed Coffeeberry and the holly like shrub Toyon. The very green non natives begin to appear in January and about now are in full abundance. Among these European immigrants are the dandelions, the topic of today's illuminated post.


Arriving to America in the 1400's the plant was named after a lions teeth due to the look of the sharp serrated leaves. Through the herbalist David Crow I became aware that these plants we term weeds are excellent for cleansing the liver and contain an abundance of nutrients. The entire plant is edible and has been consumed as both a food and medicinal herb throughout history. Dandelions are mentioned as far back as the 10th and 11th century in the texts of Arabic physicians. Read more on the medicinal history of this plant here.

FRAGRANCE

As far as I am aware there is no dandelions essential oil, absolute or C02 extract for sale. I imagine if there was the essence would be similar to the aroma of the very green Galbanum or Violet leaf. The sharp bitter green taste would probably translate as a sharp, bitter aroma with perhaps a hint of spice. So, how would we go about recreating the scent of dandelion for perfume? First begin by going to the market, or garden, and fully experiencing the plant. The color, the texture, the aroma and the taste. Here is my suggestion for creating a dandelion accord
that you could build upon based on your own observations and adding some tincture or infusion of dandelion.

Dandelion Accord for Botanical Perfume

Vetiver
Jasmin Sambac
Rose
Galbanum essential oil, C02 or absolute
Violet leaf absolute
Tagetes
Neroli
Pink Peppercorn

FLAVOR: Beth Schreibman Gehring
Please continue reading about Dandelions at the Windesphere Witch blog

IMAGES: Opening image is a Dandelion print by Etsy seller Sarah Miller from her shop Crackedpale. The second beautiful dandelion print is titled I Dream by Etsy seller Maleah of Urban Design and the third print of the toy car amidst the dandelions is called Vroom by Mindy Strauss. Thank you to all these talented artists who generously allowed me to use there work!! The botanical print of the Dandelions, the Nose and Mouth are old engravings that I have cleaned up and modified.

Scents That Sing "Spring!"

"And frosts are slain and flowers begotten, And in green underworld and cover Blossom by blossom the spring begins." ~ Algernon Charles Swinburne from When the Hounds of Spring

It's Fragrant Friday and I am thinking about Scents that Sing Spring, which for me are primarily of green to both nose and vision, especially after a good healthy dose of rain. It's the color and scent of fresh grass, leaves and new life. Each day I hear the birds chirping their happy little tunes which provides a nice musical score while I write or formulate perfumes.

GreenWitch

Once again the sacred seasonal wheel reaches one of eight markers, signifying a transition. Today marks the Vernal Equinox, Mean Earraigh, where day and night are balanced as we celebrate Spring and fertility.

Aligned in the spirit of community my friends and fellow bloggers have joined together in a circle with thoughts and impressions of GreenWitch natural perfume. The fragrance has been reated as an offering to Tethys, the Greek aquatic sea goddess. At the bottom of this post please follow the links to each of the blogs participating.

I've chosen this day to officially launch the perfume because of the story which inspired its creation. GreenWitch by Susan Cooper is a book published in 1974 as part of the authors Dark is Rising Series. In the story a group of elder women from a community in Cornwall gather to create an offering, "for greeting summer and charming a good harvest of crop and fish.”1
In the story we learn that the gift is to the White Lady, Tethys, who governs and rules the sea. GreenWitch, the character and the perfume, defies genre as it is neither feminine nor masculine. As a gift to Tethys, it's mother, the framework of the effigy is Hazel with Rowan for the head and Hawthorne boughs and blossoms for the body.


Once the large looming figure of the GreenWitch is complete local maidens approach, touch the image and ask for a wish. Only one young maiden makes a selfless wish. As the first light of dawn is seen out on the horizon, the fisherman cast the intention filled mass of bough and blossom down into sea to the White Lady.


Tethys, daughter of Gaia, is one of the Titans in Greek mythology, mother to thousands of daughters called the Oceanids. GreenWitch, beholdent to Tethys and the Wild Magick journeys to the deep to see her mother with a secret.


This story moves my soul each time I read or listen to the audio book, obviously it has struck a resonant chord deep within. I've learned to follow that gong inside in creating art and thus bring you this new fragrance.

GreenWitch as perfume follows the formula of a traditional Chypre where Oakmoss and Labdanum in the base are balanced with Bergamot in the top. Balance is one of the main themes of Mean Earraigh as the light is evenly matched with the dark. As you anoint your self ask for a wish and know that a percentage of the profits from the flacon support GreenPeace. The perfume is available as a liquid extract in the glass bottles and in a solid, cream format here.

I wish you happiness.

Please take the journey to the listed blogs where more scented tales await.

Ida at BitterGrace Notes

The Non Blonde

Tom at Perfume Posse

Perfume Shrine

Portland Examiner

Scent Hive

The Windsphere Witch

1 GreenWitch by Susan Cooper

Find GreenWitch here
Related journal entries:
The Making of the GreenWitch and the original post at Sniffapalooza Magazine .
Vernal Equinox: Blossom by blossom and All things Spring

Images:
GreenWitch ©Greg Spalenka
Photo illustration of GreenWitch Perfume bottle by Roxana Villa
Les Océanides (Les Naiades de la mer by Gustave Doré, French, 1832 - 1883 via ArtMagick