Autumn 24

In sheds and under cloches, closed off from the light and frost, something very special grows from midwinter into early spring. Bright pink, sour-sweet forced rhubarb, delicate and fine. 

We have long wanted to bottle this harvest. But rhubarb is one of those plants which has no fragrant oil to extract - so in trying to replicate its scent, we needed to create a new accord that would blend with our light springtime palette of citrus, florals and spices. Together with Elodie, our nose, we considered rhubarb’s aspects.

First, its tartness - that sour zing that is so distinctive. For this we looked to citruses: bitter orange, bergamot and grapefruit. Bergamot’s florality and the orange’s bitter edge took us part of the way there, but it was grapefruit’s herbaceous acidity that touched on the acute sharpness we were looking for. 

Onto our citrus we layered timut pepper, a bright note that fizzes and sparkles, and a touch of clean, fruity buchu. 

But rhubarb is also sweet, and this is the more pronounced in forced varieties, inseparable from thoughts of crumbles and tarts, sugar crystals clinging to pink stems. For this we used davana, a fragrant herb with an elusive scent, said to smell completely different on each person who wears it - but always with a syrupy, jam-like tone, just what we needed.

And finally we came to the earth in which the rhubarb is grown. Here we reached for ginger for its dry spice, and paired it with pencil-like red cedar. 

The finishing touch was our beautiful Haitian vetiver, with the addition of a new form of the oil. This season we fractionated our vetiver, separating the oil into parts. This allows us to remove those facets that are less beautiful - leaving a pure scent reminiscent of the first green shoots of spring. 


Spring 24

Spring 24 distils one of the season’s finest flavours: forced rhubarb. Bright pink, sour-sweet and utterly distinctive, the rhubarb sits amid Ffern’s fresh springtime palate.

It is late summer and the edge of evening. Fields flecked with gold stretch out towards the horizon. The heat of the day rises up from the parched earth; a warm breath against the paling blue of the wide, cloudless sky. The sun descends, burning between the old oak trees. An owl, parchment white, emerges from the shadows. As dusk deepens, the crescent moon brightens. 

The scent, held in this long dim before nightfall, is heady, rich and spiced. It carries with it traces of a verdant midsummer and the drier, deeper notes of the season’s end. It is layered and complex, belonging only to this time of year. For Summer 21, it is this scent we have sought to capture.

We began with the field and the warm, cracked earth. In recreating this we married nutmeg with vetiver; the dry, dusty sweetness of the nutmeg complimenting the woodiness of the vetiver. To add warmth and depth we introduced olibanum, with its peppery, incense-like facet, and benzoin siam, bringing a rounded, gently balsamic flavour. 

For the memory of midsummer, we turned to the citrus notes of bitter orange, lime and green mandarin. These full, zesty top notes cut through with a freshness that we softened with the quiet, floral notes of jasmine and neroli. While only faint, we included the herbal, culinary notes of coriander and basil, hinting at the green growth of the hedgerows.

Though these ingredients combined to capture a distinctive scene, we continued to search for something that might embody the amber glow of the evening - that soft, mellow haze that seems to fill the air. We found it in ‘Hierochloe alpina’, more commonly known as hay. Warm and sweet, with tobacco and almond undertones (it naturally contains coumarin), the hay brought the missing element. 




Ffern's organic Summer 21 fragrance evokes the haze of a late summer’s evening. Spicy, warm base notes of hay, nutmeg and vetiver underscore full, zesty top notes of bitter orange, lime and green mandarin – softened with the quiet, floral mid notes of jasmine and neroli. 

Summer 21

There is a word for the way the air smells after the rain: petrichor. It is a marriage of two Greek words, ‘petra’, meaning stone, and ‘ichor’, the fluid that flows through the veins of Gods. It occurs when plant oils, trapped within the soil, are released by the rain into the air. 

The air, washed and heavy with new scents, holds within it something of the landscape. When it rains within a wood, the result is perhaps the most compelling of all. For Autumn 20, it is this we have sought to capture.

Our beginning was Autumn 19, set in a Scottish pine forest. This season, we find ourselves in a wilder woodland. Older, darker, richer. More alive. Here the sky hangs low and the woodland floor, dampened by fresh rain, is varied and intimate, with lush green shoots emerging from the shade of a once-great oak tree. 

We’ve rebalanced the wood notes, softening the balsam fir and introducing oud, an ancient, resinous base note derived from the heartwood of the aquilaria tree. The oud, together with the red cedar and guaiac offers up a tapestry of smokey, sylvan notes, reflecting the diversity of the woodland. The fresh growth is caught in the bay leaf, which brings a culinary liveliness, and the davana, with a herbal, berry-like quality. 

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Distilling the essence of petrichor was an entirely different challenge. After countless iterations, we discovered that rose absolute, cognac oil and oak moss made for an earthy, succulent combination - the honeyish, floral tones of the rose enhanced by the cognac oil and balanced by the musk of the moss. Yet while they captured the heady fullness of the air after rain, we were missing the fresh, sweet burst that appears just as the rain has passed.

The solution came in the form of rosewater. For some time we have been hoping to experiment with replacing the base of pure water in our fragrances with scented water and Autumn 20 gave us this chance - we are delighted with the result and equally happy to be using a byproduct of the rose extraction process.


Autumn 20 is a Ffern organic eau de parfum. This natural fragrance aims to recreate petrichor - the scent of earth after rain. A rich fragrance, it centres rose against spicy notes of olibanum and black pepper and herbaceuous notes such as bay, davana and patchouli.

Autumn 20

In Spring 19, pink pepper, vetiver and petitgrain took center stage. We were seeking something clean and vivid. After the release, our vision evolved. What if the greens came to the fore? What if we heightened the bergamot, and quiteneted the dryer notes, just a little? It's this vision that we worked on throughtout the year, and which has become Spring 20. The lush greenenss of the Ferula Gummosa has strengthened and is joined by a new ingredient: Basil grand vert. In the base, we've added a Gran Chaco guaiacwood. This aromatic and woody note extends that dry / lush balance through to the end. 


Notes of ferula gummosa, green mandarin, basil and guiacwood make Ffern's Spring 20 eau de parfum smell like a spring afternoon. Made with natural ingredients, this delightful fragrance is organic and vegan. 

Spring 20

Autumn 19 is an organic eau de parfum made with natural ingredients by Ffern. This autumnal fragrance features olibanum as a top note, moving to mid notes of black pepper and patchouli and base notes of cinnamon, oakmoss and vetiver. 

Autumn 19

In late spring the elder tree blooms. Umbels of delicate, cloud-like flowers, that speckle the hedgerows and perfume the lanes with something sweet, green, lightly floral and sharp.

This season we have collaborated with Michelin-starred chef Skye Gyngell to create our most culinary fragrance yet: Spring 22.

In the summer of 2021 we visited Skye’s restaurant, Spring in Somerset House. Against the delicious olfactory backdrop of her kitchen, we discussed the shared artistry of a chef and nose; how each works to create a lively interplay between the finest natural ingredients. 

We talked with Skye about our concept for last year’s fragrance - the freshness of a springtime greenhouse - from which we were eager to bring forward the light, floral notes, while building upon the culinary elements of basil and pink peppercorn.

Skye’s thoughts turned at once to two ingredients: elderflower, the floral embodiment of soft Maytime breezes; and green gooseberry for its sharp and bittersweet tang which, though belonging to the month of July, seems to encapsulate those first tender shoots of March.

Intrigued by the combination, we readily accepted the challenge. We were aware, however, that while in the kitchen, gooseberry ice cream is gooseberry ice cream, things can be more complicated in natural perfumery. Gooseberry oil cannot be extracted directly, and elderflower absolute is deep and musky, evoking hay and tobacco - far removed from those delicate, lacey umbels. Undeterred, Elodie set to work. 

First to the gooseberry. Having experimented with several ingredients, she landed upon blackcurrant bud. Though it did resemble plump, juicy gooseberry, it lacked the sharp, almost sour facet we were searching for. Sadly we had to let it go.

With the gooseberry proving elusive, Elodie moved onto the elderflower. Starting from a base of elderflower absolute, she added peppermint and lime. These enhanced the absolute, bringing a zest and lightness to its opening. We were close, but not quite there. 

After weeks of trials, Elodie made one final alteration: buchu, a diminutive plant native to the lower elevation mountains of western South Africa. The result was staggering. At once, the buchu brought to life the elderflower and even conjured our elusive gooseberry. Unexpected, but clear as day. Skye’s vision realised - an elderflower and gooseberry accord at the heart of our Spring fragrance, amidst the citrus notes, quiet florals, greens and sparkling pink peppercorn.


For their organic Spring 22 fragrance Ffern worked with the Michelin-starred chef Skye Gyngell (of Spring, London) to create a natural scent reminiscent of the hedgerow in late spring - notes include elderflower, bitter orange, pink peppercorn and neroli. The fragrance itself is fresh, green and lightly floral.

Spring 22

Ffern's organic Spring 19 fragrance blends nautral ingredients to evoke a springtime scene. Notes include petitgrain, pink peppercorn and bergamot. 

Spring 19

The light here is soft, pearl-like; a silvery white fading to rose and palest lilac. To the east, dark green fields run into blue-grey cliffs, dropping steeply to pebbled beaches. To the west lies a sandy bay, the waves lapping blue to the shore. Running out to sea is the famous Cobb - seen from afar, a thin line of black.

Artists and writers have long flocked to Lyme Regis, drawn by the colour and the light. But it is the air which sings on a winter’s day - clear and sweet. Layered with both land and sea, it is this scent we have captured for Winter 22.

First to the warmer notes and the welcome heat of winter sunshine. For this we turned to cardamom and clove bud - rich and spiced - and married them with patchouli and sandalwood, both earthy and a little musky, echoing the warm stone of the harbour wall.

The valley that surrounds Lyme carries with it a unique scent. Deepest green with dense, darkling winter woods, we found we could conjure it with cedar, balsam fir, oakmoss and marjoram - woody, with a touch of mint. 

Pooling in the bay before being washed out to sea, these resinous valley notes mingle with the fresh, clear air. In conjuring such freshness we looked to Winter 21 for inspiration, returning to the cool palette of lemon rind, lavender and peppermint.

In midwinter there are few flowers to be seen, and yet at Lyme we sensed a trace of them in the air, a sweetness we couldn’t quite determine. We found our answer in sweet orange and jasmine, a pairing we had used in Winter 19, our very first Ffern fragrance.

Onto the rounded, juicy notes of the sweet orange, tempered by the delicacy of the jasmine, we layered mimosa - honeyed and gently floral. This new accord brought the moreish, soft, sweet facet we had been searching for.


Inspired by a winter’s day at Lyme Regis, Ffern's organic Winter 22 fragrance is made entirely with natural ingredients. It blends citrus notes of bergamot and sweet orange with herbaceous and spicy notes. Top notes of peppermint and Sicilian lemon feel like cold air in the nose, while mossy, marine notes of seaweed and oakmoss whisper of the sea.

Winter 22

A spring morning. The air is mild and a gentle wind has lifted the sunlit haze of dawn. Clouds form, only to break against the blue. Boughs of blossom reach over the doorway to the greenhouse, quietly dropping their pink-white petals. Inside beckons, smelling of fresh soil, warm earth and new, green shoots.

It is this particular scent of an English greenhouse - at once rich, heady, lightly floral and spicy - which we have sought to capture for Spring 21. 

We began by laying the foundation: the distinctive smell of soil from which all life must come. For this we turned to vetiver, with its earthy, woody undertones and ginger, with a warm, spicy aroma - the scent of soil baking in the sun. Onto this we mixed pink pepper and basil, echoing the fresh, peppery notes of young green shoots. 
Complimenting this culinary sharpness are the soft notes of bergamot and the zest of green mandarin. In their succulence they capture the dense foliage of the greenhouse, the lagoons of emerald-grey that grow abundantly in the corners.

We brought in jasmine as a quiet reminder of the spring blossom in the garden - sweet and floral. And we grounded its delicacy with the more resinous, woody notes of cedar, a reflection of the greenhouse’s old wooden frame and the woody vines that interlace the ceiling.

For the centrepiece we chose, after many iterations, the bitter orange tree - this vivid streak of colour, a perfect counterpoint to the backdrop of green. Each element of the orange tree comes with its own unique scent. For Spring 21, we decided to incorporate them all. First the petitgrain, sharp and faintly herbal, taken from the leaves and twigs. Then the neroli, honeyed and airy, produced by steam distillation of freshly picked orange flowers. To deepen the neroli we added orange blossom absolute, created from the same flowers but with an entirely different extraction method, resulting in a more heady, richer scent. 

Finally, we turned to the rind itself - a juicy, bitter, citrus note. Once the maturation of the fragrance was complete, we even added orange blossom water instead of the traditional pure water, happily incorporating a byproduct of the steam distillation process.

The resulting scent is light, spring-like, yet full of depth.


Inspired by the scents of a springtime greenhouse, Ffern's organic Spring 21 fragrance is made with natural ingredients. Its top notes include ginger and petitgrain, progressing to mid notes of basil and neroli and ending with base notes of orange flower and vetiver.

Spring 21

In the cool dim of nightfall a wild rose blooms.

For Summer 22 we asked ourselves: how might we reinvent the floral in a perfume?

This quest for a new florality is something we have been working on for two years now. We often turn to the quiet delicacy of jasmine and neroli, but the most iconic of floral notes - namely the rose - has remained elusive, never quite fitting with our house style. 

Despite this, we seek rose out again and again. In Summer 22, we hoped it might play a role: bringing a floral succulence and depth to the scene of a late summer’s eve.

First we laid the foundation – the warm, spicy heat of baked earth. For this, as in previous summer fragrances, we looked to nutmeg’s dusty sweetness, peppery, incense-like olibanum and warm hay with its facets of tobacco and almond. Onto these notes we layered bitter orange and kumquat for their bright zest and tang – and rose absolute, heady and honeyish, reminiscent of a perfect red bloom.

Just as in previous trials, the rose overwhelmed the subtler notes in a rich, powdery sweetness. After much deliberation we concluded that the fault lay in its very perfection: there was something too clean, too cultivated about the scent of this rose. It belonged in a highly manicured garden; for it to belong in a Ffern fragrance, we would have to re-wild the rose. 

Rose absolute is often prized for its intensity, so perhaps we could find the properties we were seeking in rose otto. Also known as attar of roses, rose otto is the most expensive and prestigious of all oils (it can take 180 damask rose flowers to yield a single drop), and unlike the absolute it is inherently greener, fresher, a little more airy - already hinting at a rose that blooms _outside_ the walled garden.

In rose otto we found what we were looking for; the rose no longer railed against the other notes but settled companionably amongst them. Still there was a slight imbalance - the rose did not seem truly embedded within this summer landscape. Might it be that our rose was the rambling kind, climbing the trunk of an old oak tree?

With such an image in mind, we brought in ho wood, a sustainable alternative to rosewood that carries a depth and spice like sun-warmed bark. And geranium, a classic pairing with rose that amplifies the sharper, greener facets. At last, we had a rose at the heart of our fragrance – one that no longer looked back to traditional floral scents but took the shape of something new…


Ffern's organic Summer 22 fragrance reimagines the floral in a perfume, situating a traditional accord of luxurious rose otto and geranium amid wilder, more contemporary notes. Kumquat brings fresh citrus, nutmeg and olibanum recall the dry earth of a summer’s evening, while ho wood gives a glimpse of a great tree wreathed in roses.

Summer 22

Baked earth. Midsummer heat. A heady Tuscan afternoon. That was our vision for Summer 19. 

This year, we return to the landscape, pausing in the moment between late afternoon and early evening - when the light dims and the air begins to cool.

We’ve added Haitian vetiver and ferula gummosa to the mids and base - drawing the dry of the midday into the herbaceous tones of the evening.

The resinous notes that rise from the scorched terracotta earth linger, but are more subtle, diffused by aromatic, culinary notes of basil and coriander.

The brown eyed rock-rose is gone - in its absence, the citrus trees are a little sharper; honed by the vetiver, and made young by the green mandarin.

The flowers of the jasmine show their first signs of opening - a quiet but steady voice amidst this summer scene.

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The development phase of Summer 20 has been our most challenging yet. We were delighted with Summer 19, but as always, the work was not - and never will be - finished. A progression into a summer’s evening seemed a natural course. 

To begin, we worked on rebalancing the core citrus blend, amplifying the bitter orange and introducing Egyptian basil, first seen in Spring 20. This took us close, but didn’t capture the succulence of the early mediterranean evening. After many iterations, we found the solution: green mandarin. The under-ripened, floral notes of the green mandarin work alongside the neroli to bridge the gap between the baked earth and the culinary, unifying the fragrance.


Summer 20 is a Ffern organic eau de parfum inspired by the scents of a midsummer afternoon in Tuscany. Lightly spiced top notes of cinnamon leaf, lime and lemon give way to herbaceous mid notes of basil and coriander seed. At the base, benzoin Siam and vetiver bring an earth, rich quality to the frargance. 

Summer 20

High blue skies. Meadows, sweet and honeyed. A valley shaded by orange groves. Water pouring from a terracotta jug. Time passing, slow and easy.

For Summer 24, we sought to work with the hourly evolution of natural oils, capturing the scent of an entire day amongst the Tuscan hills, as it gently simmers and unfolds. 

And so we awaken to citrus top notes - lemons and blood oranges, the oil itself harvested from Sicily’s lush groves. To achieve a culinary opening accord that is distinctly Tuscan in flavour, we paired these fruits with spiced bay leaf and fennel seed, sweet and herbaceous.

Imagining the morning sun glancing off cool, fresh water, we added pink peppercorn, instantly clean and sparkling.

Noon comes, the height of the day, and with it the scent of herbs and flowers, giving out their best. The star is red champaca, a new ingredient for us. This member of the magnolia family has beautiful bright flowers, whose scent captures our deep, plush midday fragrance with its shades of green tea, champagne, honey and nectar. 

As we move into the afternoon, coriander seed, patchouli and nutmeg bring a dry, herbal accord - a bare foot pressing upon golden meadow grasses.

Evening settles. The earth is baked and cracked, the light mellow. Woodier notes join with the brown eyed rock rose, their heavier molecules reducing the volatility of the mixture and drawing out the lighter notes - so that echoes of the day’s fresh citrus acidity and sunny florals follow us long into the night.

This gentle progression of notes, quietening and coming to the fore, is a unique feature of natural perfumery, enabled by the immense molecular complexity of natural ingredients. 

This very same complexity explains the subtle ways in which the scent will adapt to the wearer, and age in the bottle - a path dictated by the particular combinations of light and temperature that your fragrance experiences. We hope you find joy in this process.


Summer 24

A high blue day. Golden light on the afternoon hills. A meadow filled with wild herbs and citrus trees, deep in the valley. The scent is champagne and fruit and spices and hot earth - made from a blend of red champaca, sweet fennel seeds, blood orange and bay.

syn·aes·the·sia
/ˌsɪn.əsˈθiː.zi.ə/ _noun_
The subjective sensation of a scent other than the one being stimulated. For example, a sound or scent may also evoke sensations of colour.

There is a green that comes in winter: you can find it on the frost-limned needles of a pine tree, in the depths of moss, holly’s dark gloss and the silken shine of sun through ice. It is deep and inked - a darkling green - and at the edges, silver.

When we think of the season, this colour presides. And so for Winter 23, we set ourselves the challenge: could we turn colour into scent? Could we bottle winter green?

We began by selecting ingredients that carried a cool, blue-green facet: peppermint, rosemary, lavender and tarragon - the aniseed sparkle of tarragon recalling the iciness of winter air.

For the element of rich, blackish green, we turned to woody notes of balsam fir and cedar, layering these with spicy oakmoss, clove and patchouli - the dense hues of a forest in midwinter.

The combination of these ingredients did indeed evoke green - and a dark green at that - but it also felt a little flat. It was as though the scent required more layers, more mystery. After all, the winter solstice is a time when folklore and magic abound. 

To find this elusive quality, we turned to two new ingredients we have been experimenting with over the past year. Ambrette seed is a warm, ambery, pear-like note with a naturally musky edge. And osmanthus, a precious blossom prized for centuries in China, brings a blush of peach and apricot, with quiet echoes of tea.

We were delighted with the result. These two ingredients conjured the enchantment we were seeking - a shaft of sunlight through the canopy, illuminating the winter green. 


Winter 23 is an organic eau de parfum made by the fragrance house Ffern. Currently available exclusively to members of the Ffern ledger.

Winter 23

We are standing by a sun-dazzled estuary, looking out across the water meadows. The shallows are shining silver and the ancient woodlands that run down to the water’s edge are scorched with gold. The sky is a haze of blue and now and then we catch a hint of coast, carried on the gentlest breeze.

The air, on this late September afternoon in Ruan Lanihorne, Cornwall, swells with the scent of early autumn: the earthiness of the woodland floor, the sweetness of the meadow grasses and the freshness of the sea. It is a scent memory, rich and complex, to which we have returned again and again. For Autumn 21, we have sought to bring it to life.

First to the woods and the dense tapestry of sylvan notes. In recreating this we looked to oakmoss and vetiver, earthy and green, and the woody, resinous facet of cedar. To add depth, we layered patchouli with myrrh - both warm and darkly sweet.

Ruan Lanihorne is a place through which water flows. It is where the Ruan River meets the Fal and, at high tide, where the sea runs inland. The water here has a distinctive timbre, at once brackish, clear and crisp. After many iterations we found it through an accord of seaweed, cardamom and lemon.

The water meadow was perhaps the hardest element of all. The end of summer had carried with it many of the wildflowers but the outlines of irises remained, hidden amongst the grasses. Warmed by the sun, these grasses seemed to echo the heady aroma of a summer’s day and so we chose to weave them into the fragrance itself - returning to the hay absolute of Summer 21 and marrying it with the sweet, herbaceous notes of hyssop, clary sage, tarragon and coriander seed.

Autumn 21 has become a journey through scent, to a singular moment, belonging to a certain place. We very much hope that we have been able to take you there with us and, as ever, look forward to hearing your thoughts.


Ffern's organic fragrance Autumn 21 was inspired by the village of Ruan Lanihorne, Cornwall, in early autumn. Sylvan base notes of oakmoss, vetiver and cedar support a lighter marine accord of cardamom, lemon and seaweed, while sweet herbaceous notes capture the scent of water meadows.

Autumn 21

Winter 25

There is a tree much-prized in China. It grows in almost every garden, and in the eighth month of the year it blooms - in time for the Harvest Festival and its bright full moon. This tree has slender branching limbs and pointed leaves like its cousin, the olive. Among them nestle tiny yellow flowers, the size of a grain of rice. In Chinese mythology it is self-healing, a magical tree that grows on the moon. If you chop it down, it grows again. 

For many Chinese, osmanthus is the most evocative scent in the world - much more than the sum of its parts. This heady fragrance calls to mind the sweet, animalic note of apricots, the syrupy freshness of peach, a delicate hint of tea - opening up into the smooth creamy comfort of milk, with even a dash of violet. But osmanthus also summons memories of a time of year, its stories and gatherings. 

Though in China osmanthus blossom comes in autumn, for us its stone fruit, tea-like scent is evocative of late summer in Europe. We used it for the first time in Winter 23 as a gentle accent. But for Summer 23 we wanted to celebrate its full-bodied beauty, that slightly musky scent that comes with the early harvest. 

We have perfected the base for our Summer fragrances over several years - a squeeze of citrus, a blush of florals and a hot, dry sprinkle of spices and amber. 

For this year, Summer 23, we played with this formula to create a fragrance that evokes the ache of the end of the season - the final days of summer, their twilit hours, their peach-coloured skies. 


Summer 23

A match flares; the fizz of sulphur burns out into beeswax, soft honey and smoke. In the grate last night’s embers gently smoulder. Through the window overlooking the valley, ringing with gold, comes the sun, a fat slice of butter.

Set deep in the Dorset countryside, this is the home of cook Julius Roberts, our collaborator for Autumn 23. Surrounded by orchards, the scent of windfall apples is sharp and sweet. It mingles with the earthiness of vegetable patches and the jammy, grassy tones of hay - the bales prepared for Julius’s young goats that bound around the farm. 

It was amidst this scene that we found ourselves last year, collecting scent profiles that would shape the Autumn 23 fragrance.

The best thing, Julius told us, was the fig tree. We found it growing against the southern wall, below an open window, its waxy leaves a heartstopping green between the smooth grey boughs. The figs themselves have long since been plucked and eaten, but the scent of the leaves is emerald, clear and wild - holding traces of the delicious fruit.

We all agreed that this should be the heart of the fragrance. But how to recreate it? Fig is a ‘mute’ plant - you cannot extract its essence. We explored this with Elodie, our nose, and after six months of exacting work we created a natural fig accord - rich and multi-faceted, it has as its stars violet leaf and tonka bean. 

To build the picture of the landscape around this fig accord, we looked to orris root and carrot seed, new ingredients for us. Orris is powdery, soft, earthy, slightly sweet, even suede-like. One of the rarest perfume ingredients, it pairs beautifully with woody, spicy carrot seed.

From here, Julius was keen to take the scent in a darker direction. To capture some of those embers in the open fireplace, the remains of autumn bonfires in the landscape. And so we turned to birch tar, an ingredient we haven’t used since Winter 21, with a distinctively smokey facet.

The result is quite different from any other Ffern fragrance - dark fruit, rich hay, a drift of smoke. A fragrance for the harvest festival.


Autumn 23

Autumn 23 has fig and iris at its heart — with notes of dark fruit, rich hay, and a drift of smoke, this is a fragrance for the harvest festival.

A rose in December is a startling sight - as though a fragment of summer has appeared, fully formed, in the heart of winter. 

This image stemmed from a favourite poem, ‘Snow’ by Louis MacNeice. A winter scene that balances a few simple, sensual details: the bubbling fire, the tangerine, the bay window and, of course, the snow and the roses. For Winter 24, we wondered if we could bring this scene to life.

As the poem layers images, we layered scents. First the central rose/snow accord. For this we landed on Rose de Mai, a pink bloom picked only in May. The petals are gathered at dawn, before they can be bruised by the sun. The resulting absolute\* is incredible - floral, dewy, a touch of wood, honey-sweet and airy.

To temper the warmth of the rose we experimented with cool, herbaceous notes - peppermint, eucalyptus, tarragon, rosemary. These have a direct cooling effect on the nose and at once placed our rose in a different landscape.

We were still lacking the powdery softness of snow. After much searching we found it in palmarosa, a relative of lemongrass that nonetheless carries distinctively rosy facets and gestures to the light texture of freshest snow.

We then brought in sweet orange, lemon and bergamot, their citrus notes balancing the rose with a little sharpness. Sweet orange in particular has that scent that comes when you break into the skin of a tangerine, lingering for hours on your fingertips.

For the finishing touch, we wanted to capture the fire and the poem’s celebratory tone. This came with the spiced, wintry scents of clove, juniper and balsam fir. They brought richness to the blend, and heat, like something warm cupped in the palm of your hand.

\*An **absolute** is the most aromatic form of natural oils, obtained from petals or plants by solvent extraction.


Winter 24

Our first Rose de Mai fragrance, Winter 24 sets this previous note amongst eucalyptus, juniper and rosemary - capturing the scent of a rose amid snow. 

The Scottish Highlands in winter are a wild and elemental place. Snow gleams white atop blue-black 
mountains; curves of glassy water rush over rocky beds; juniper bushes grow low, bent by the wind and birch trees stand tall, silhouetted against the tawny greens of tumbling hills. The air, pure and clear, is crisp and bitterly cold.


For Winter 21, it is the unique quality of this highland air which we have sought to capture; lacking in moisture it hangs like silk, allowing each note to sing with greater clarity.

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To begin, we set about building a cool, fresh palette. For this we turned to lemon, eucalyptus, peppermint and lavender. Though removed from the Scottish landscape, all bring with them an innate cooling effect. Onto this backdrop we layered the scent of juniper - herbaceous and spicy, like crushed black pepper - and the woody, resinous notes of fir balsam and cedar, with their distinctive evergreen edge.


Threading through this land are sky-blue streams. Composed from falling rain, and filtered by rock, they run seawards with gathering strength. As they go, they offer up the smell of wet pebbles and dense, damp earth. To emulate this, we married oakmoss with tarragon and seaweed. This accord created an earthy, succulent and herbal aroma.
Painting this highland scene was an enjoyable task. Yet the more we explored it, the more there seemed an absence. Both the scene and scent were lacking. Perhaps, to counter the cold mineral air, we needed some warmth, some comfort amidst the hostile terrain. And so we began to imagine a cabin in the distance, 
a rising plume of smoke.
 

We experimented with birch tar - full bodied and peaty, like an old whisky - and combined it with the spicy notes of cardamom, clove buds and a hint of patchouli. Together, they would suggest the familiar warmth of a cabin interior. The result was just as we had hoped - providing a foil to the cool citrusy background, and balancing the fragrance.


Ffern's organic Winter 21 fragrance is inspired by the winter landscape of the Cairngorms, Scotland. Top notes of peppermint and sweet orange fade into mid notes of eucalyptus and juniper. The fragrance ends on the smoky notes of birch tar and seaweed. 

Winter 21

If you had to choose one flower of spring, which would it be? For us, this was an easy answer: the narcissus.

First, the emerging stem, almost white against the dark, damp earth. Then the leaves, clean and symmetrical. And finally the nodding bud, bursting to reveal a golden corona, a ruff of six creamy petals - and a heady scent that drifts through the meadows, the woods and along the riverbank. 

The scent of narcissus absolute is sweet and herbaceous, a little like honeyed jasmine. But there is a depth to it, with warm hay and a hint of tobacco rounding out the edges, that makes this an unusual and rewarding floral to work with. A base note, it may take a few minutes to awaken - soft, polleny and undeniably green. 

For Spring 23, we took narcissus as our starting point - and from it, we grew a landscape. The woods came forth in petitgrain, cedar and vetiver. Ginger and basil grand vert (favourite ingredients amongst our spring fragrances) brought earthiness and spice, balanced by the sunshine notes of bergamot and green mandarin.

Timut pepper is a new ingredient which we have been waiting to use for some time now. Sharp, herbaceous, but with a light citrus undertone, it pairs beautifully with orange blossom water\*\*. We found a perfect place for it within Spring 23, where it brought a delicious crispness to the fragrance, enlivening its quieter notes, making it sparkle.


Spring 23

Summer 19 is an organic eau de parfum by Ffern. Made with natural ingredients, it is inspired by the scents of summer. Top notes of cypress leaf, lime and olibanum give way to spicy mid notes of nutmeg and coriander seed. Base notes include brown-eyed rockrose, which produces the amber resin labdanum. 

Summer 19

Ffern's Winter 20 is an organic eau de parfum made with natural ingredients and essential oils. This seasonally inspired fragrance moves from herbal top notes of tarragon and rosemary to warm mid notes of nutmeg and bergamot, and on to earthy base notes of oakmoss, cinnamon and vetiver. 

Winter 20

_A misted morning in the herb garden. Golden droplets gleam on stems._

In a gently sloping valley south of Somerset’s Quantock Hills lies a biodynamic herb farm. Come September, it brims with sunset colours - echinacea pink, cornflower blues, the blush of marshmallow and calendula’s deep, burnt orange. Rows of cool lavender and bay frame the borders. 

The scent of the garden alone is spectacular, but on days when there is a light breeze it is made all the more complex by the addition of dried spices - cardamom, cumin, clove. These spices, gathered from organic fields around the world and used in blends by the herb farm, bring a warmth to the olfactory landscape, drifting into the green-gold of the surrounding countryside. 

Just along the lane from the herb farm is the Ffern studio, and this heady mingling of herbs & spice has long provided inspiration for our fragrances. For Autumn 22, we decided to recreate it.

We began with a literal interpretation - layering bay, basil, coriander, lavender, cardamom and clove onto a woody base. With the hope of introducing a fresh facet, we then turned to elemi, a pale yellow oil derived from the elemi tree. 

Elemi is a new ingredient for Ffern and hard to pinpoint. It is certainly lemony but also has a green spiciness, like thyme or myrtle, and carries echoes of tea rose. We knew from previous experiments that it pairs beautifully with ginger, so included this here. But we went one step further by adding grapefruit - the light, herbaceous citrus note amplifying elemi’s sparkle.

We were almost there, but something was still missing - a darker note, the call of autumn. After several weeks of experimentation we found it, somewhat unexpectedly, in black tea, another ingredient new to Ffern. Our black tea extract is made from a classic blend of teas from Ceylon, China and India and the aroma is dry and leafy - bringing a smoky depth to the fragrance, both familiar and strange. 

It was the black tea that came to fully realise our vision; transporting us momentarily, like the myriad scents of the herb garden, to the other side of the world.


The organic fragrance Autumn 22 by Ffern reflects the scent of a misted herb garden at dawn, on the cusp between summer and autumn - the first chill just sharpening the air. Citrus and herbal notes of grapefruit, elemi, bay and lavender are underscored by a smoky trace of black tea.

Autumn 22

Ffern's organic Winter 19 fragrance uses natural essential oils to create an eau de parfum inspired by the scents of winter. It blends notes of sweet orange, jasmine and lavender. 

Winter 19

For July’s Found Sound, Alice meets artist and woodworker Sophie Sellu on the way to her studio ‘Grain and Knot’ in south-east London, where Sophie discusses her artistic practice and Alice collects some soothing woodworking sounds.

In July, the ancient woodland cools us down, and we explore the hot-weather roots of some of the month’s many names. In the garden Zoe gives us some charms against pests, and we find out what to eat and plant in the veg patch. Our folktale tells of fairies, while The Breath sing ‘Only Stories,’ a song about Ríoghnach’s childhood summers spent in West Cork. 

For June’s Found Sound, Alice meets science and nature writer Chantal Lyons at Woorgreens Nature Reserve in the heart of the Forest of Dean, to spot the elusive wild boar - learning about their habits, expressions and natural history along the way.

For June, we spend time in the garden, with squirrels and foxes, nectar-rich flowers and a glut of early summer vegetables. The Breath play ‘For You,’ and we consider the old names for the month and its moons. We delve deep into the Forest of Dean to look for rewilded boar, and recount a folktale about them from the Brothers Grimm. 

This month, Alice meets writer and poet Dr JC Niala and artist Sam Skinner at Elder Stubbs Allotments in Oxford - where they have recreated a 1918-style allotment using heirloom seeds. The three discuss healing and heritage, and learn how to grow the straightest carrots.

In May’s episode we explore the folklore of this lovely month - green men, Robin Hood, moon stories and maypoles. We cook from the garden and make German May wine for parties. We hunt for swan’s-neck thyme-moss, stay up til dawn watching the Eta Aquarids meteor shower and hear ‘Land of My Other,’ a song from The Breath. 

April’s Found Sound is the second part of an exploration into foraging. In this episode, Alice meets wild foods expert Miles Irving to forage for common hogweed and drink rosebay willowherb tea. Settle in for a relaxing ten minutes that will help you feel part of nature, wherever you are.

For April we begin the month with some last-minute Easter crafts and end it in the bluebell wood. We tell tales of the stars and cook from the garden, learning along the way why you should leave a wild patch amid your planting. And The Breath give us a song for long April journeys. 

In a Found Sound for March, Alice visits Folkestone, Kent, where our very own Zoe Gilbert takes her out foraging along the clifftops - where they find alexanders, yarrow and ribwort plantain. Settle in for a relaxing ten minutes that will help you feel part of nature, wherever you are.

In March’s episode we celebrate the spring equinox with a recipe for wild garlic salt, a stroll round the ancient woodland and a seasonal fairytale. Zoe brings us folk characters from the garden pond, while the Breath play 'Land of my Other', an uplifting song for spring.

In a Found Sound for February, Alice Boyd visits Norfolk to record the songs of late winter birds, travelling from woodland to wetland to ocean. Settle in for a relaxing ten minutes that will help you feel part of nature, wherever you are.

This episode was produced by musician and sound artist Alice Boyd, featuring music by herself and The Breath. Thanks go to RSPB Warden Ben Lewis.

For February, we tell tales of birds and bad weather - and explore whose songs we might hear in the ancient woodland. The Breath sing 'Don't Rush It', reminding us to slow down during this short month, while elsewhere we visit peatlands and cook seasonal recipes from the garden.⁠

In a Found Sound for January, Alice Boyd visits Dartmoor to record the sounds of this wild place. Walking the windswept tors and woodlands, Alice explores the landscape's natural history, and looks towards its future. Settle in for a relaxing ten minutes that will help you feel part of nature, wherever you are.

This episode was produced by musician and sound artist Alice Boyd, featuring music by herself and The Breath. Thanks go to Luke and Caroline of Collihole Farm.

For our first episode of 2024 we look at names for January, old and new. The ancient woodland is deep in its winter silence, but we find signs of life in glittering wood moss. Zoe Gilbert tells frosty tales and we hear the Romani story of 'Mossycoat' - while elsewhere we welcome Ríoghnach Connolly and Stuart McCallum of The Breath as this year's guest musicians. 

For the 2023 edition of As the Season Turns, folk singer Gwilym Bowen Rhys selected and recorded a Welsh traditional song for each month of the year. We have now gathered these songs into an album, so they can be enjoyed together - Caneuon y Flwyddyn, or Songs for the Year.

Mastered for Ffern by Geoff Bird. Artwork by Gemma Koomen. © Gwilym Bowen Rhys.

Album release date:
31 December 2023

Our final episode of 2023 explores the sleepy but still vibrant natural world of December - from newts and frogs hibernating in the garden pond to colourful toadstools in the woods. Alice visits the Cairngorms in Scotland to retrace the steps of nature writer Nan Shepherd, while we mark the winter solstice and watch the Geminids meteor shower. To close, we hear one last Welsh folksong from Gwilym Bowen Rhys, the very old Christmas carol 'Ar fore dydd nadolig'.

In November, we get up before dawn to watch the stars and stay out past sunset to light bonfires for Samhain. In between, we head to Dorset for some birdwatching, to Sussex for people watching and out into the lanes to pick hawthorn berries and sloes. At the end of the day, we sit by the fire and hear a comforting song about home, 'Cartref', sung by Gwilym Bowen Rhys. 

In October's episode we visit a 'ghost' island, explore the history of trick or treating, and hunt for mushrooms and dryads in the woods. Hedgehogs and frogs are preparing for their winter sleeps, and Gwilym sings 'Y wasgod goch', the red waistcoat - the spookiest song he knows.

For September we hear the tale of Ganesh and the moon. We visit the Farne Isles, perform rituals to mark the equinox and head to Cornwall for one last day at the beach. Gwilym sings a threshing song and we gather herb robert from the hedgerows. 

In August's episode we wander country lanes at night - coming across glow worms, observing the Milky Way, and hearing the haunting love song 'Gwen Lliw'r Lili', or 'Gwen the Colour of the Lily'. We visit the rivers of the Peak District, explore the uses of meadowsweet and climb the cliffs of St Kilda.

For July we go stargazing during the dog days, hear the Cornish myth of Lyonesse and swim along mackerel migration routes. Zoe goes searching for wild roses, Alice visits a Somerset rewilding site and Gwilym sings 'Moliannwn', a joyous song that's often sung in the pub.

In June, Lia marks the summer solstice with gift giving and a ritual. The waterlilies are out in the pond and life under the surface is thriving - as Alice finds when when she dips her microphone beneath the water at Wakehurst Botanic Garden. Zoe explores the folklore of St John's Wort for midsummer and Gwilym closes with a rendition of 'Daw hyfryd fis', a round featuring a familiar June bird.

For May, Lia visits the island of Skomer to explore its distinctive and abundant wildlife, and Alice stays overnight in the National Forest. We listen to nightingales and the dawn chorus, and hear a Mayday wassail from Gwilym. Zoe delves into the folklore of stitchwort and Lia looks out for seasonal plants in the garden.

In April's episode we learn about different degrees of sunrise, plant hardy annuals and make nests for bees. Zoe has foraged for Lady's Mantle, while in the pond the newts are out and about. Alice heads to Dover to record the sea, and we hear an Easter recipe for pace eggs. Gwilym plays 'Blodau'r flwyddyn', an example of 'old verses' - thousands of verses that can be fitted together in different combinations, all to the same melody.

For March, Lia begins with the equinox and ends with the phases of the moon. Zoe explores the mythology of seaweed and we visit a very special island in North Wales. Also in Wales, we hear the story of Blodeuwedd and Gwilym plays a very old love song, 'Lisa lân'. Lia goes back to seventeenth-century England to tell the little-known tale of the Diggers, and Alice heads underwater with her hydrophone. 

February's episode explores the first, tiny shoots of spring - the snowdrops are opening, the frogs are breeding and Lia reminds us it's time to plant this year's chillis. We visit the Isles of Scilly for early narcissi, and the Mendip Hills for a rainstorm with Alice Boyd. Zoe Gilbert records her thoughts on snowdrops, and to close, Gwilym Bowen Rhys sings 'Ambell i gân', a song to guard against heartbreak and bad weather.

For January, we explore the magic of a winter sunrise. We break the ice on the garden pond and head to the park for a snowy soundscape recorded by Alice Boyd. Meanwhile, novelist Zoe Gilbert has much to tell about mugwort, and we visit Shetland for Up Helly Aa. To close, Gwilym Bowen Rhys plays 'Teg wawriodd boreddydd', a Welsh carol for the new year.

December's episode features a tree dressing ritual to light the winter dark. We spend a final moment with our oak tree and beehive, and hear some pointers for planting evergreen shrubs. We hear about Holda, an ancient winter goddess, listen to the songs of tiny wrens and mark the winter solstice. 

For November, we lean into the darkening days with a focus on colourful leaves, bonfires and a bright bird of the month - the starling. We plant tulips, visit the Bridgwater Carnival and catch a glimpse the dark side of the moon. 

In October, our oak tree's leaves are turning brown and beginning to fall. We revisit the bee hive as it prepares for winter, share a recipe for soul cakes, and explore traditions around Samhain. This month's candlelit ritual is for Halloween night - and in the meantime, look out for mushrooms, the season's finest fruit. 

In September's episode, we consider the 'new year' feel of the month and celebrate the Harvest Moon. We go foraging for damsons and visit Britain's estuaries to look for wading birds. Jupiter is bright in the sky above, and this month's ritual helps us find balance as we move into Libra season. 

In our August episode, we find out why leaves get darker as summer progresses. We hear the story of Lugh and the harvest and set intentions for the final third of the year in a breadmaking ritual. Up above, there is lots to see in the night sky; down below, we give some flower garden tips and visit our beehive. 

For July, we explore the folk tradition of the Rose Queen. We mark the weather on St Swithin's Day, check in with the beehive and pick sweetpeas from the flower garden. The Wort Moon rises over July's rich greenery. And in the warm nights, we head outside for a spot of stargazing.

In our June episode, gooseberries are ripening in the kitchen garden, our birds of the month are cooing from the treetops and the beehive is entering its busiest and most prosperous season. We perform a love ritual, explore the traditions surrounding midsummer bonfires and ask why the midsummer moon is low while the midwinter moon is high. 

In May's episode, our oak tree is finally in leaf! We investigate Maytime traditions, make elderflower mead from Finland and anticipate a total lunar eclipse. This month's ritual involves bathing your face in pre-dawn dew; and we set out some tips for your flower garden and hanging baskets. 

For April, we search for signs of spring - brimstone butterflies, wild garlic, cuckoos. A Ukrainian folk tale explains why April weather is so volatile, while this month's ritual might help you come to terms with the flashes of rain and sunshine that characterise this time of year. 


For our March episode, we climb high into the sky with our bird of the month, the skylark. We make a pilgrimage to the Isles of Scilly and look for boxing hares. We check in with our oak tree as it prepares for spring and we perform our own springtime ritual: gifting seeds for the equinox.

In February's episode, we make a St Brigid's Day pilgrimage from Faughart to Kildare, exploring the links between Brigid, Imbolc and Candlemas. We plant bulbs 'in the green', find out what's in season and check in with our oak tree, who is providing safe harbour for some bright winter visitors.

For our first episode of 2022, we begin a year-long acquaintance with the English oak. We head inside the beehive, explore the history of wassailing, and follow the epic migration of the humpback whale. We find out what's in season and check in with winter's brightest bird: the robin. 

Wassailing Words:

“Here’s to thee, old apple-tree,
Whence thou may’st bud, and whence thou may’st blow,
And whence thou may’st bear apples enow
Hats full! caps full!
Bushel-bushel-sacks full,
And my pockets full, too, huzza!”

For December, we go carolling for the full moon and enjoy the midwinter charm of Christmas roses. We make a pilgrimage to Stone Henge for the winter solstice, follow the redwing's migration patterns, and touch upon the different types of frost. 

For our colourful November episode, we celebrate winter's brightest flowers, chrysanthemums. We share a recipe for bonfire toffee apples, explore nature's November fireworks - the Leonids meteor shower - and spend time with the remarkable Atlantic salmon, who will be swimming upriver this month. 

For October, we follow the vast, though little understood migration of the European eel. We hear the tale of Merlin's apples, ponder why October's full moon is known as the Hunter's Moon, and wonder when the first frosts will reach us.

In September's episode, we track the slow drift into autumn. Hearing a tale of Ganesh and the moon, we explore the names for September's full moon, the Harvest Moon. We visit the border between France and Switzerland for a very special cheese, follow the migrations of Nathusius' pipistrelle bats, and encounter the spirit of the corn. 

For our August episode, we trace the epic migrations of dragonflies along with the rasping music of the grasshopper chorus. We discuss the wonders of the Perseids meteor shower (look up on the 13th and 14th of this month) and walk through a garden meditation for August.

In this episode, we celebrate the rich offerings of July, the 'Month of the Hay'. We check in on the hedgerows, discover the delights of oxeye daisies, and explore what's happening in the skies this month, reflecting on the names for July's full moon. ⁠

For our June episode, we plan for summer. We revisit the dormice and hedgehogs we saw nesting in earlier months, hear of the epic migrations of painted lady butterflies, learn about the best methods for making jam and explore the folk traditions surrounding midsummer.

For the May episode of our podcast, we explore the changing hedgerows, the traditions and folklore surrounding May Day, how primroses can help to ward off fairies, the return of the swallows and the names of the month's full moons: Mother’s Moon, Bright Moon and Flower Moon.

For April, we explore the traditional names for the month, the changing hedgerows, the beauty of the bluebell, how to navigate by the crescent moon and why decorated eggs came to be associated with Easter. 

For the March episode, we explore the traditional names for the month, the moons and the tides, the types of nest each bird is building, how to help hedgehogs as they emerge from hibernation and the history and folklore surrounding the humble daffodil. ⁠

For February, we explore the Romani name for the month, why it is the time for plans and new beginnings, the blue tit’s mating rituals, the migration of the toad and the moons that will grace our night sky. Each of the monthly chapters in Lia’s almanac ends with a folk song - for February Lia brings one to life, singing a traditional shanty.



For January, we explore the origins of the month’s name, the moons and the tides, the changing hedgerows, the traditions surrounding the first day of the new year and the different types of snow.



As the Season Turns

Found Sound for July

July

Found Sound for June

June

Found Sound for May