Broom

Broom shrubs are known for their pea-like yellow flowers which bloom in late spring. The flowers are hand-harvested at the height of their bloom, when their scent is most intense, then transformed into an absolute through solvent extraction. The resulting scent is deliciously bitter and honeyed, reminiscent of orange blossom and dried fruit.

Broom has hallucinogenic properties that feed many legends, including the story of Blodeuwedd (meaning ‘Flower Face’) in Welsh mythology, who was created from the flowers of broom, oak and meadowsweet. In Italy, the shrub was burned to ward off witches, and in Sussex, a traditional rhyme cautions: ‘Sweep the house with blossomed broom in May/sweep the head of the household away.’