Mimosa flowers are a famous ingredient in the perfume industry. There are many different varieties of Mimosas. Prior to this trip I had only seen photos of the version that grows here. During my stay, I’ve heard Mimosa mentioned many times, usually with great fondness and passion. As beloved and talked about as this flower is, I find the scent of this flower to be very subtle.
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I have to admit, I had to buy enough mimosas to make this massive display and keep them in my room before I could really even begin to “get” the scent of mimosa.
The first time I came in contact with mimosas was while I was shopping for flowers at the Couer Salaya to decorate for Sunday lunch. When I saw these mimosas, I recognized them immediately and swooped them up without hesitation.
Of course I gave them a curious sniff, but I couldn’t really smell anything.
On Mondays, the stands in the Couer Salaya are filled with antiques, the rest of the week, they are filled with flowers and produce. It’s an amazing row to shop for flowers, as you can imagine. The selection is broad, quality high and the prices are very reasonable.
They also sell plants, including, spectacular citrus trees {now all I need is l’orangarie}.
The charming merchants here take their flowers seriously. When you make your selection they trim them, wrap them and present them so beautifully, it seems a shame to not give the bunch away.
But, I couldn’t give them away, I had a house to decorate. In addition the fragrant stock and delicate ranauculus above I bought some lilies
and kumquat branches, laden with fruit.
As soon as I got home, I was busy sliding a few stems of kumquats to this vine that had lost it’s flowers.
Making a grande bouquet of long lasting lilies for the lunch table.
And filling this seahorse sconce with the mimosas and more kumquats, sniffing, sniffing, and thinking “the imperial flower has no scent”, just as the king had no clothes.
After the lunch {and this was a Sunday lunch in France, so it was ater dark at this point}, a friend stayed to chat. The flowers above were clear across the room but still, during our discussion, she suddenly went silent, paused, and then amorously commented on detecting the scent of mimosa!
I couldn’t smell a thing.
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Now, I actually consider myself to have a pretty good sense of smell so, at this stage I was feeling quite frustrated with this famed flower.
So I went on a Mimosa mission:
I hiked up to the Fragonard factory and sniffed their Mimosa room scents, parfumés and soaps
and then
I created the massive display that is at the top of the post and moved it to the mantle in my bedroom. Even with all of that, I had to work hard to define a scent profile. But, here is what I came up with: a very subtle woody, grassy, yeasty scent, with a delicate touch of honey and maybe just a squeeze of orange.
Something similar to that famous little brunch beverage we know and love.
Do you have mimosa flowers in your area?
How would you describe the scent??
Love the beautiful flowers, wow are they so pretty and of course the limes are so cool, love the photography…I am a new follower of yours and I will be back again…
I'll take the memosa now please…lol
Is it weird that I want to sniff my computer screen while reading this?! I bet the scents are amazing in person!
Phyllis, thanks for visiting the market. I wish I could send you a fluffy, sunny bouquet right now!
FF – it is an interesting, subtle scent. I expected it to be much more pronounced since it is used in the purfume industry, it is more of an earthy, grassy profile.
I adore the mimosa flower and learned of this flower years ago while in France. My Mother-in-law told me all about them. I also love the drink mimosa's for weekend brunch.
I would describe the scent as having a clean, fresh and green scent. Also a bit earthy~
pve
My word, what a lot of loveliness on one page, your photos are stunning! We do not have many in our area, the climate is so harsh they don't do well at all. Thank you for sharing about them *and* the search for their scent!
Sending you a smile,
tp