I love lots of trees, but right up there in my top five trees for scent is the linden (Tilia X europaea). When I smell linden blossoms, a scene, or should I call it a fantasy?, comes to mind: it’s late spring or early summer, the temperature is 75 degrees F and it’s sunny, a gentle breeze is blowing. With a stack of my favorite books and a hamper full of goodies, I’m reclining on a comfortable chaise longue…right next to a linden tree in full bloom. There I could happily sit, eat, read, nap…all day. If you must, take away the seating and books, and I’d be just as happy wandering down an allée of linden trees with my hamper, stopping every now and then to listen to the rustling of the lindens’ heart-shaped leaves, the singing birds in the branches, and the hum of the thousands of bees drinking the linden blossoms’ nectar. You can even have the hamper, just me and the lindens would be enough for a wonderful afternoon. If you haven’t smelled a blossoming linden tree, find one and give the flowers a sniff — they are a joy to experience.

Linden-scented perfumes, soaps and candles are favorites of mine (linden honey is delicious too). Recently, I experienced two new linden (“tilleul” in French) fragrances — Frau Tonis Parfum Linde Berlin No. 10 and Parfums d’Orsay Tilleul pour la nuit…

Read the rest of this article »