Parterre at Keynestone Mill

I have written before about Parterre fragrances - this post was actually shortlisted last year for the Jasmine awards - and I had long wanted to go and visit the actual gardens that produce the beautiful raw materials that go into them. My wish came true a few weeks ago and on a beautiful and warm May day I was invited to wander around the 50- acre estate and learn a lot about the plants, processes and future plans as well as enjoy a glass of rose and delicious food from their cafe.

Keyneston Mill, Parterre's 50-acre estate is situated on the River Stour in Dorset and dedicated solely to aromatic and scented plants all exclusively for inclusion in Parterre perfumes.

We arrived early and after a quick coffee we were taken on a tour of the grounds. The most divine smelling wisteria covered an entire wall of the house where Julia and David Bridger, the founders of Keyneston Mill live,

next to the picturesque offices,

and soon we put on wellies and headed out to the gardens.

The day was sunny and hot and the flowers had just started to bloom.

Beautiful irises,

an actual labdanum plant that produces the soft, warm and sensual base note we love so much,

violets and

tulips....

beautiful jasmine

ready to take over a substantial part of the garden and hopefully make its way into a new Parterre fragrance

you can see the lavender growing on the left!

Also the spice garden is slowly forming ....

... as well as a herb garden where we sniffed and tasted a beautiful version of mint

The dome is a beautiful structure that will host a variety of fantastic summer events....

...and in the nurseries we had a chance how everything starts to grow ..

.. so many different variations of pelargonium that included a "peaches and cream" scented

..and a "cola" scented one!

So many citrus trees as well!!!!

including the very fragrant Buddha's hand!

After the tour was over we ended up at The Scented Botanist, the lovely cafe on the grounds that offers a range of delicious pastries with a French twist, freshly brewed coffees and teas, and light bistro meals made with fresh, fragrant ingredients.

We sat outside to make the most of the gorgeous day in the garden where throughout the summer they will be screening movies every Wednesday - June is French classics month and July is dedicated to scented themed movies! You can read more on their website and you can see that there is a lot more on offer like Scented tours of the Gardens, Perfume Workshops and opportunities for activities that must - according to my opinion - end with a delicious meal at The Scented Botanist.