Secret Gardens: Proprietary Botanicals in Luxury Perfumery

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Although there was a wealth of fascinating information taught to us while studying raw materials as ISIPCA, one piece of information in particular caught me off guard. It seemed obvious that competition over the synthesis of new molecules by fragrance houses and associated companies to gain an edge would take place. However, what did not occur to me at the time was that this competition extended beyond aroma-chemicals to nature itself.

While discussing jasmines, our professor casually mentioned that the entirety of production of one specific jasmine was purchased by a particular fragrance house to ensure competitors were not able to replicate their finished product by getting their hands on this specific botanical. At the time, I found this to be mind blowing. It felt almost God-like to me that one company could control the entire existence of a product of nature. Upon returning home, I decided to dive deeper into the subject and thought I would share my findings here!

The “why” of it all…

As part of a relentless pursuit of differentiation in a highly saturated market, proprietary botanicals emerged as a common strategy. Offering far more than exclusivity, this approach itself can turn the entire supply chain into a brand asset. Beyond helping to establish a unique olfactory signature and securing supply chains to ensure product consistency for a brand, this approach creates a compelling narrative through which to justify premium price points. 

Creating origin stories of sorts, it paves the way for narrative-led approaches to marketing filled with fanciful and compelling stories about heritage, unique methods of cultivation, premium quality and scientific innovation. In a world where the average consumer is becoming more and more conscious, particularly as it pertains to ethical sourcing, this strategy also facilitates alignment with consumer values by providing a narrative foundation on which to build stories of sustainable, environmentally conscious practices adopted in their supply chain. 

Lancôme:

The rose has been an intimate symbol of the Lancôme brand since its founding in 1935 by perfumer Armand Petitjean. A core part of the brand’s heritage and identity, it is prominently featured across product lines. Unbeknownst to me, however, was that besides using the Centifolia Rose, known for being the highest quality rose, composed of over 300 molecules with a profile described as “fresh and floral with hints of pear and tea-like complexity, Lancôme created its own rose.

The Lancôme Rose

The Lancôme Rose, a hybrid tea rose (Rosa x hybrida Lancôme or DELboip) was cultivated for the brand by renowned horticulturalist Georges Delbard in 1973. A product of targeted botanical breeding that resulted from cross-breeding 20,000 hybrid varieties over 10 years, the intention of this undertaking was to create a rose for use in their fragrances. Described as, “elegant, long-stemmed and fuschia colored,” the rose has a fragrance profile that is fresh and subtle, less overpowering than Damascena or Centifolia. With a cylindrical bud, the rose produces up to 40 thick, shiny petals. 

Though, as mentioned, the intention had been to use this rose in perfumery, I was hard pressed to find a perfume from Lancome featuring this rose. It has been suggested that Trésor Midnight Rose is built around it to evoke a scent of this specific rose blooming in the evening, though I could not verify this. 

It seems its robust and adaptable nature led to it being used primarily for their skincare, much like the Perpetual Rose, with the focus shifting to Domaine de la Rose, a 4-hectare estate purchased by Lancôme in 2020 which cultivates the Centifolia Rose (May Rose/Rose de Mai), when it comes to perfumery. 

The Centifolia Rose has been cultivated at Domaine de la Rose for over 60 years but their efforts also extend to cultivating jasmine, lavender and iris - all reserved exclusively for Lancome’s use. This rose has become Lancôme's new emblematic flower and is featured in many of their recent fragrances and skincare products.

Dior:

In much the same vein, Dior adopts the Dior Gardens Philosophy — “unique sites where the human hand and Dior Science enhance the qualities of flowers selected for their cosmetic potential.” Beyond Domaine de Manon, a farm southeast of Grasse, and Château de La Colle Noire in Provence where Centifolia Roses are cultivated exclusively for Dior, others include, but are not limited to, the Jardin de Granville in Normandy and the Dior Iris Gardens in Tuscany.

Jardin de Granville Rose

The Rose de Granville (Jardin de Granville, EVanrat) is a floribunda rose with “beautiful, pale pink flower,” featuring honeyed sweetness and green facets. 

Its origin story dates back to the 1990s when Dior scientists worked with rose breeder Jérôme Rateau to select from 40,000 different rose varieties over a period of 15 years of hybridization and enhancement. Inspired by a wild rose which exhibited extraordinary resilience growing on the cliffs of Granville near Christian Dior’s family home, Villa Les Rhumbs, it is primarily used in skincare for its purported regenerative properties.

Dior Iris Gardens

Established by Dior in 2018 to secure its supply of Iris Pallida, a flower native to the Mediterranean, the Dior Iris Gardens in Tuscany exclusively extract the Orris Root featured in the Dior Homme line of fragrances. 

A lengthy undertaking, the process of cultivation includes 3 to 4 years of growing followed by an additional 3 to 5 more years of aging for irones to develop. The iris’ powdery, woody, green fragrance, reminiscent of warm bread, is derived from Rhizomes found in the root rather than from the flowers themselves.

Chanel & the Mul Family:

Arguably one of the most notable examples of this practice is the strategy adopted by Chanel in the form of their exclusive partnership with the Mul family. Farming in Grasse since the 1840s, the Mul family established a partnership with Chanel initiated by Jacques Polge in 1987 in response to a declining jasmine production in Grasse. Very much in line with the unique narratives I mentioned earlier, the Mul family reportedly employs novel cultivation methods including playing piano melodies in the field 3 times a day as a natural alternative to combatting fungi and rust - “science disguised as sonata.” 

30 hectares of specific flowers are cultivated exclusively for Chanel, most notably the Centifolia Rose and Jasminum Grandiflorum, but also including iris, tuberose, geranium and orange blossom. With a markedly fleeting blossoming that lasts only three weeks a year, it takes 12 tonnes of Centifolia petals to produce just 1 kg of rose absolute. This “ripe raspberry, green, clear, sweet, honeyed” smelling absolute doesn’t come cheap though — one kg will set you back between $17,500 to over $23,000.

As for the Jasminum Grandiflorum, it offers a “brutally small window”  to get it from field to flacon. A night-blooming flower that diffuses its scent at sunset, its flowers are hand-picked at 350 grams per hour with workers racing against the rising sun to prevent the loss of its volatile scent to the heat before it is converted into concrete from which an absolute is refined. To put this into perspective, 8000 hand-picked jasmines produce just 1 kg of raw material meaning 15 ml of Chanel No. 5 contains the essence of at least 1000 jasmine blossoms. 

So what?…

While these practices are undoubtedly fascinating, at least to me, they are not without their challenges and criticism. Most interestingly is this strategy’s use as a method of “greenwashing” by brands. By focusing their narratives on proprietary fields and the practices they employ there, it is easy to ignore the ingredients they rely on from less regulated, environmentally damaging supply chains. Are the sustainability initiatives in place at these locations that these brands tout as a core part of their PR employed throughout their supply chains? Is the strategy holistic? This focus primarily on “hero ingredients” makes selective disclosure quite easy with advocates pushing for a shift in focus from controlled estates to influencing the broader industry. 

Monoculture farming and the over-harvesting of rare botanicals to meet demand have also been highlighted as leading causes for a decline in biodiversity, soil erosion, nutrient depletion and habitat destruction.

Beyond the environmental cost and ethical sourcing considerations that apply to the industry as a whole, there is also the high cost of sourcing these practices incur. Irrefutably, these brands invest heavily in R&D, clinical trials, patent applications and highly specialized cultivation methods but this often leaves critics asking if there is a value proposition beyond perceived exclusivity. 

The fascinating world of proprietary botanicals is far more than a simple marketing gimmick. It represents a complex and multifaceted strategy that touches on everything from brand heritage and supply chain integrity to scientific innovation and consumer psychology. While it undoubtedly allows brands to create unique olfactory signatures and compelling narratives, it also raises important questions about transparency, sustainability, and the true value proposition behind these premium products. Ultimately, these "hero ingredients," whether a century-old rose or a newly bred hybrid, serve as a powerful lens through which to examine the ever-evolving intersection of luxury, nature, and commerce in the fragrance world.

References & Further Reading:

Comments

  1. Karen SAugust 21, 2025 at 8:25 PM

    I love this deep dive into horticulture! I had NO IDEA. I wonder if you could do a world tour just visiting perfumer’s gardens - or if they give tours at all?

    I had one question … you mentioned “years of aging for irones to develop”- what are irones? And is that something that the flower develops with age?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TalalAugust 21, 2025 at 9:05 PM

      I’m glad you enjoyed it! I think it’s really fascinating the extent brands will go to in order to innovate and differentiate.

      It seems Chanel’s perfumery gardens are not open to the public but certain industry figures have been invited to tour them. In the case of Dior, there is a public Christian Dior Garden in Granville inspired by the gardens that fueled his creativity as a child but I suspect the working gardens are also invite only. The same goes for Lancome though it seems more people have been welcomed to take a peek at their operations in Grasse!

      When it comes to irones, they are the specific molecules that give orris root its highly prized, powdery-violet scent. They are basically the "perfume" part of the plant, but they don't exist in the fresh root. They only form over a long period—usually two to four years—as the harvested roots are carefully dried and aged. This is why growing orris for perfumery is so time-consuming and why the final product is so expensive!

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