Two UK videos about the linden tree (aka lime aka basswood aka tilia). First, Dr Markus Eichhorn of the University of Nottingham talks about the insects, including bees, that love the tree. Then below the jump, Wild Food UK introduces the edible uses of the tree.
The (almost) daily lemming
So for ages I've been dithering over whether to break my "no bottles over 30 ml" rule to buy Astier de Villatte Grand Chalet. It's neither my absolute favorite nor the absolute best of the things on my buy list, but at the moment, I don't own any linden fragrance, and really, is that any way to live? But meanwhile, somebody bought out D'Orsay, and last year they reissued everything under new names. The old Tilleul, the 2008 version of the brand's linden (from perfumer Olivia Giacobetti) is now Vouloir être ailleurs ("In its tiny, sweet voice, “Vouloir être ailleurs” transports us back to heady, carefree times. Linden flower, honey and freshly-cut hay take us back to when we were 15. Almost adults yet cradled by the perfumes of our childhood. Little did we know then, that in just a few days, we would be grown up for good. A radiant interlude") and while the ad copy says nothing to me except that 15 year olds in France must smell much better than 15 year olds in the USA, just look at that adorable little 30 ml bottle. Please, somebody try it and tell me if it is better than Grand Chalet.
Astier de Villatte Grand Chalet & Elixir du Dr. Flair ~ fragrance reviews
In Rossinière, Switzerland, the painter Balthus lived at the Grand Chalet — and grand it is. The Grand Chalet is the largest chalet in Switzerland and one of the biggest wooden residences in Europe. On the Grand Chalet’s grounds was a huge linden tree that provided shade and fragrance (supposedly, Balthus loved the scent of linden); Astier de Villatte just released a linden blossom fragrance inspired by this tree. Astier de Villatte describes Grand Chalet, the perfume:
An enchanting smell escapes the bottle and suddenly fills the air: it is the age-old linden that shades the garden of painter Balthus’s atelier, at Grand Chalet, high up in the Swiss alps. A tribute to the artist and his favourite scent, bask in this Cologne’s delightful redolence of honey, milk and slight hints of lemon…
Kerosene Pretty Machine ~ fragrance review
Anyone else sick of hearing about (the former) Kate Middleton’s post-delivery tummy fat and the big reveal concerning the “royal” baby’s name? Why do I have to see these baby-centric headlines, articles and photo spreads everywhere I look — I live in the U.S. for goodness sakes! I guess the royal family is England’s favorite “reality show” — comparable to the U.S. public’s fascination with the Kardashian clan and their ilk.
Last week, as I watched (via TV) a toothless, happy-as-could-be elderly man on the streets of London, dressed in Union Jack-inspired clothes and carrying banners celebrating the birth of a male heir to the “throne,” I wondered: “Has he ever thought the tens of millions of dollars spent by his country on Queen Elizabeth and her kin could perhaps be better used for other purposes…like a set of teeth for himself?” None of my business I guess…find joy where you can.
But all this antiquated royal stuff made me search out the things I love about England: its literature, eccentrics, gardens…dogs! This past week, I put some Purcell, Dusty Springfield, Arne and The Smiths on the CD player, watched a few Mike Leigh films (the great Another Year and Life is Sweet) and looked through some poetry books. I came upon Ode on the Spring by Thomas Gray…
Frau Tonis Parfum Linde Berlin No. 10 & Parfums d’Orsay Tilleul pour la nuit ~ fragrance reviews
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…