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Anyone with even a passing knowledge of plants knows that daphnes have wonderfully fragrant flowers. And because some of them - usually the most scented - flower in winter, they’re the sort of must-have plants that are usually among the first planted in any new garden.

There are around 50 species of Daphne, many of which are choice garden specimens. They are widespread lot, ranging from Europe and North Africa to temperate and subtropical Asia. Most of them are evergreen or nearly so, but a few are deciduous, often flowering before the foliage expands.

The plant everyone calls daphne is Daphne odora, particularly the cultivar ‘Leucantha’ , which is often misspelt ‘Leucanthe’ . This shrub, a native of China and Japan, sells in vast numbers, mainly on the strength of its perfume, but also because it’s a reasonably hardy evergreen bush. It grows to around 1.5m tall with leathery, deep green leaves up to 80mm long. From mid-winter on into spring it produces clusters of small, starry, pale pink flowers. Several flower and foliage forms are available and the variety with yellow-edged leaves, ‘Variegata’ (sometimes called ‘Aureomarginata’ ), is often hardier and easier to grow than the species.

Daphne odora can be quite particular about soil conditions and is slightly frost tender in cold winter areas. It does best in cool, moist, humus enriched, well-drained, acid soil in sun or light shade. Work in plenty of compost or similar organic matter - it’s impossible to use too much - and feed regularly with liquid fertilisers and an occasional side dressing of acid fertiliser. Kept healthy, D. odora develops quickly and is attractive even without flowers, but it isn’t a long-lived bush. You can expect to have to replace it at least every 8-10 years.

Because daphnes are so popular, nurseries propagate thousands of them every year. For many years the plants were nearly all cutting-raised and with repeated propagation by this method the cutting stocks declined and became badly infected with viral diseases that were transmitted to their progeny. Around fifteen years ago Daphne odora ‘Leucantha’ was refreshed by producing new plants by tissue culture, thereby eliminating most of the disease problems. At the time, the improved appearance of these virus-free “high-health” plants was remarkable. Although since then new batches of tissue cultured plants have been introduced, many of the original high-health daphnes were used as cutting stock and now these plants are showing viral problems. When buying ‘Leucantha’ try to ensure that you get a tissue cultured plant or a first or second generation cutting from cultured stock.

Several other species are similar in appearance to Daphne odora and are well worth growing as slightly different alternatives to what everyone else has. Of these, Daphne bholua and Daphne laureola are the most commonly available.

Daphne bholua occurs in both deciduous and evergreen forms, but here they all seem to behave as semi-evergreens (or semi-deciduous if you like). It is shrub up to 3m tall, sometimes rather narrow and open in habit, that like Daphne odora flowers in winter and spring. The flowers are strongly scented, white-tinged-pink and open from deep pink buds. Black fruits (drupes) follow the flowers.

First classified in 1825 but slow to enter cultivation, it is one of a group of four species known as paper daphnes because in their home range paper and ropes were made from their bark. It was first recorded in gardens in 1938, but didn’t really become at all widely grown until the late 1960s to mid 70s.

Native to the eastern Himalayas, it is somewhat tougher than Daphne odora under New Zealand conditions. Though strangely, British references often rate it as slightly less hardy. Whatever the reason for its local success, just be happy to know that in most of our gardens it thrives.

Daphne bholua is difficult to raise from cuttings and although it can be grafted, seed is the best method of propagation. The seed germinates well and while the seedlings are slow to start into strong growth, they gain vigour with age and usually flower in their fourth year.

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Viburnums are related to the honeysuckles, so it should come as no surprise that many of them have fragrant flowers. But that’s not all they have in their favour. No, this genus includes plants for all seasons and all reasons; foliage, flower, autumn colour, scent, groundcover, shrub or small tree, evergreen or deciduous, it’s all there among the 120-odd species and the many hybrids and cultivars. Indeed, they’re so variable that it would be quite possible to have an interesting garden of viburnums alone.

Although viburnums can be found over much of the temperate northern hemisphere and even South America, most of the common plants in our gardens, with the exceptions of the Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus) and the Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus), occur naturally in temperate Asia or are derived from the species of that area.

About the only drawback with viburnums is that because they are so adaptable and easy to grow, they seem to have suffered from the ‘familiarity breeds contempt’ syndrome that sees common plants, however attractive and useful, relegated to the lower divisions of the garden league in favour of something more ‘exciting’. Well, don’t fall into that trap

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First of all, you may ask, “What exactly are Perfume Oils?”

Perfume Oils are the pure oils that perfumes are made from. Island of Eden’s Perfume Oils are alcohol and chemical-free. Perfumes and colognes that one may purchase for $50.00 or more in department stores contain an average of only 33% pure perfume oil, and the rest (67%) is alcohol, water, butane, etc. Alcohol “kills the soul of the plant or flower essence.” Butane is used as a sort-of lighter-than-air fragrance carrier. It causes the perfume to have a powerful scent when first sprayed, but fades away quickly.

The reason you can buy perfume oils for such a low cost, is connected to low overhead, and the perfume oil industry’s general practice of selling the product at a fair price. When you pay for the high-end designer brands, you are paying for a fancy bottle and a designer name. Our perfume oils are the highest quality you can purchase! Don’t be fooled by other perfume oils, there are different grades of oils! Island of Eden’s oils are very concentrated, and are the best perfume oils you can buy! Even other perfume oil companies may dilute their oils down. Try ours and you’ll experience the difference!

Why do designers use alcohol in their perfumes anyway if it’s so bad?

All commercially available “perfumes” are actually perfume oils with fillers. First, and foremost, it causes the perfume oils to evaporate faster than they would by themselves - up to 10 or 15 times more quickly! This gives the impression that the perfume is 10 or 15 times stronger than it actually is. That is why, when you first put on a fragrance, the aroma may sometimes seem overwhelming to those around you. It is also why the scent is almost all gone within one or two hours. The perfume oils have evaporated along with the alcohol!

The second reason for all those fillers is just ‘good’ marketing — a bigger bottle containing fragrance plus fillers seems like a much better value than a smaller one of pure oil. This illusion is further reinforced by the strong, short-lasting, alcohol driven aroma.

So what’s wrong with alcohol anyway?

**Alcohol tends to kill off some of the most beautiful notes in many fragrances, which in pure form, are truly delicious.
**Alcohol isn’t really good for you. Perfume fillers generally use ethyl alcohol, sometimes called ethanol. Your body considers ethanol to be a poison and many people who think they are allergic to perfume are actually allergic to the alcohol in the perfume
**Alcohol is a drying agent — used by industries all over the world as an additive to make thing evaporate very quickly. Unfortunately for you, as the alcohol evaporates, it also takes away the fragrance and your own natural body oils along with it, drying your skin as it goes!

Your fragrance will last, and last, and last…with Perfume Oils!

Since Island of Eden’s Perfume Oils are undiluted, you can expect your fragrance to last literally hours and hours! Not only will they last on you, they will last years in their bottles! Many people are not aware that perfumes with fillers spoil! (Ever noticed how your department store brands went “bad” after a year or so?) Industry experts say 6 to 18 months is the usual shelf-life of a perfume, depending on the components and their quality. But, perfume oils will retain their fragrance year after year!

Why are your perfume oils called “Types?”

The formulas for designer perfumes are very well-kept secrets indeed, but trained and experienced fragrance professionals can pick apart the elements of most fragrances. Augmenting these skills with modern chemical techniques, such as the use of gas-liquid chromatography, helps make it possible to match a given fragrance with the same or better oils. Because of the mystery surrounding the fragrance industry, you might think that fragrances are the private property of the designers, but the courts have held that fragrance is something that belongs to nature and not to any individual. Therefore a fragrance cannot be patented or copyrighted, and a manufacturer cannot prevent someone else from matching or improving upon any aroma in whole or in part.

Of course, the brand name of a designer fragrance can be copyrighted or registered and others may not use that name to their profit. That is why we are so careful to point out that we are not offering the originals - we call ours “Types” to make the difference clear.

How do I use Perfume Oils?

To apply perfume oil, just dab a bit on the backside of your hand (it mixes better there with your body chemistry) and then rub it on your neck, arms, and anywhere skin meets skin, etc. Perfume Oils never change, do not evaporate, and are inexpensive and versatile. Basically, perfume oils are what you purchase for yourself or for a gift when only the real thing will do. Why pay high-end prices, for fancy bottles, and a name? If quality is what you’re really after, you’ll love these, and never go back to alcohol ridden perfumes and colognes. After all, aren’t you worth it? We think so!

Below are some great uses for Perfume Oils (Other than wearing them) that customers have sent us.

1. Add a few drops to your bath water for a beautifully fragrant aroma.

2. Add a few drops to your ceiling fan blades to freshen up your home.

3. Add a few drops to a cotton ball and vacuum it up; it makes your house smell like your favorite fragrance!

4. Add a few drops to a cotton ball and place in an open container then place in your bathroom, closet, bedroom, anywhere! Perfume Oils totally out-last all the room fresheners you buy at retail stores!

5. Want to make your kitchen smell like you’ve been baking the most incredible treats all day long? Add a few drops to some simmering water on the stove! (think Pumpkin Pie Perfume Oil, Hot Fudge Nut Brownies Perfume Oil, and more!) What a great idea for the Holidays, too!

6. Add to your favorite unscented lotion.

7. Add to a few cotton balls in your dresser, your clothes will smell like your favorite fragrance.

8. Add few drops to a cotton ball and place in your dryer and your linens, bedding and clothing will be scented with your favorite fragrance.

9. Add a drop to your brush, and it will make your hair beautifully fragrant.

To see all of our perfume oil products, body mists, aroma mists, fragrance fantasies dry-oil perfume, please visit our site today! Fabulous products and Holiday Items, and over 350 scents!!

http://www.IsleOfEden.com/

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