How I created a fragrance that captures the scent of the orchard.

The collection of Gingham Floral Room Sprays has been created by designer Peter Thomas and each bottle features the signature blue gingham in a range of seven fragrances.

The inspiration for each fragrance is as unique as the scent inside. Every fragrance in the collection tells a story and today I want to share with you one that actually started the journey for me, that is Dawn Orchard;

A few years back we visited a cider farm in Somerset for breakfast and to experience the sunrise at the orchard. Well, as you can imagine, as the sun came up it was sensory overload as the fruits on the trees warmed and the morning dew glistened on the grass. It was both romantic and surreal.

I stood in the middle of the orchard and said to my partner "breathe in... how do you capture that?" We sat down over breakfast and listed on the back of a napkin (which I still have!) what individual scents we could smell that morning and thus Dawn Orchard was born.

When exploring an idea for a fragrance I start with the structure - that is the top, heart and base - and then seek to blend until I have captured the essence of the original idea.

Creating Dawn Orchard was about the awakening of the scents and the journey in the orchard as the sun came up.

So we had fragrances like fallen ripe pears - just imagine them as the sun starts to warm the fruit up on the ground. Walking back for breakfast, we passed a garden filled with jasmine and other florals, again just being awoken by the morning sun. All these experiences had to be included.

Being a florist, everything I do is centred around seasonality. When developing a fragrance, I automatically explore where a fragrance fits into the calendar - whether it be Christmas, Summer, or in the case of Dawn Orchard that period around late September and early October, I'm not sure what you'd call it, but I said at the time that this is a fragrance about Harvest.

During development I created a description that aimed to capture my purpose for Dawn Orchard;

You can't quite put your finger on it, but something is different. Outside, there's a definite change in the air. A dewy musk surrounds, it's the smells of autumn. These smells help us come to terms with summer's demise, the prospect of shortening days and the winter to come. The stimulating aromas in the garden, fields and forests embrace decay in the final days of Summer bloom and vegetation is returning to the depths of the soil.

Hold back the melancholy though, as this is a time of preparation for celebration, a physical reminder of our connection with the seasons and life itself.

Musty, organic scents mingle with the rich, sweet aroma of ripe fruit: figs fallen to the ground, crimson and russet apples, and the opulent, almost decadent, perfume of fat pears.

All along the hedgerows and on waste ground, blackberries ripen and turn black, their warm fruit bursting, exuding perfume and attracting Red Admirals to gorge at the feast. In the background there is wood smoke.

Discover a luxury fragrance that brings the Harvest home. Gingham has ventured into the orchard to deliver an abundance of colour and fruit. The lilting scent of pear is awoken by the first sight of the dawning sun. As fallen fruits mature on the ground, the sound of the orchard surrounds you and captures your senses.

Discover a golden dawn over a sun soaked valley.

Fresh pears enjoyed in the orchard at the first rays of the sun.

With throws of pear fruits ready to fall from the tress, surrounded by dewy florals of jasmine, freesia, subtle rose and resined patchouli.

This is Autumn Discovered.

This is Dawn Orchard.

That's Dawn Orchard, it's actually my Mum's favourite in the collection - hopefully it will become your's too!

Peter xxx