Not a day goes past (particularly in winter), where I do not cherish the joy of living in the tropics. Through the cooler months its tough to find flowers for the home even in this glorious climate. Over the years though I have found there is one flower that delivers without fail. Patiently I wait, check and pace, until I see the peak of the first flush of blooms – my patience and endurance of weeks without flower is always rewarded with a burst of what I class, as one of the most exotic scent know to come forth from a garden
Last year I was lucky enough to stumble across a plant of this long forgotten flower in the tropics that seemingly fell out of fashion some decades ago. My squeels of delight when I found the plants wandering a friends garden soon earned me my own plant, which took pride of place outside of my bedroom window. It brightens the gloom of winter with it’s glorious flowers, I delight in throwing open the windows each day allowing the amazing smell to waft through the entire house and scream it’s presence in the garden after a year of careful nuturing.
The Hedychium – a quiet member of the zingiberaceae family – AKA the Ginger Lily, Kahili Ginger or Bottlebrush Ginger – derives from the two ancient greek words ‘hedy’ (sweet) and “chios” (snow). It’s big showy blooms are short lived and vase life is non-existent much to my dismay, however I cannot help but nip a bloom as they emerge everyday and sit one on the dash of my car to brighten my drive to work. The aromoa when I re-enter my car in the afternoon is breath taking and I cannot for the life of me figure out why no one has bottled this amazing smell.
This short lived ornamental does not receive the attention it deserves in the fragrance industry, or as a flowering member of ginger family. I have been unsuccessful in finding this amazing scent in a bottle and I cannot help but wonder way..? Providence Perfume appear to one of the few giving it any attention in their Vientiane eau de parfume release.
For a fragrance experience you wont ever forget, please do invest in a rhizome or visit you local gardens to smell this divinely scented bloom… when, and if you do – I want to hear about it and see if you agree.
Narda Reichl 