Say “rose,” “peony,” “jasmine,” “lily-of-the-valley” or even “tulip” – and I immediately imagine both a flower and its scent. I hear “gardenia,” and I draw a blank: I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it in nature, and I can’t imagine how it smells. I saw gardenia petals at the Bouquets to Art exhibition (pictures two and tree in the post) but that was the closest I’ve ever come to the real thing.
Probably because I have no preconception of gardenia I like many gardenia-centered perfumes – Cruel Gardenia by Guerlain, Gardenia by Jo Loves and White Flowers by Yosh. These perfumes do not smell similar to me, so I’m still not sure how close to a gardenia flower these are.
For the first time I smelled new gardenia soliflore perfume Hothouse Flower by Ineke in July of this year at the First Artisan Fragrance Salon in San Francisco. It smelled nice, but I was so overwhelmed by everything I tried this day that I knew I wouldn’t be making it any justice. It was the end of the day, and they were out of samples but Ineke Ruhland was very kind to make one for me. Since then I kept testing it.
Hothouse Flower notes include Earl Grey tea, green foliage, cypress, absinthe, gardenia, galbanum, fig, frankincense, guaiac wood, musk and corn silk.
Hothouse Flower smells green. But it’s not No 19 or Silences type of green. It’s more like a green apple green. It’s floral but not sweet – at least to my nose. It’s fresh but not ozonic. Hothouse Flower stays on my skin for at least five hours gradually fading out but not changing much. Nevertheless, it doesn’t seem overly simple.
I’ve mentioned it before: Ineke has a great sample set. For $25 (shipping included) you’ll get the first seven perfumes of the line. Plus, once Hothouse Flower is released in September, they will send you a sample of it. Plus, you can redeem the price of the set against a full bottle purchase later. But wait, there’s more! If you call in the next… OK, just kidding. It’s not a commercial, I just feel really excited about this release. I think I’ll need a bottle of Hothouse Flower.
Images: my own
Undina's Looking Glass 
Nice review Undina. I didn’t hear much about Ineke perfume line. Your comparison of green apple green makes me want to stay away. I so dislike apple accords in perfume…
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Oh, no, Hothouse Flower doesn’t smell of an apple. It was more of a feeling when I tried to explain how it’s different from those perfumes that traditionally are called “green”.
I don’t think this brand is available anywhere close to where you live so unless you get it in a friendly swap for you chasing it probably won’t make much sense. But if you get a chance, try at least some of this line’s perfumes – you might find something you like and they aren’t too expensive.
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Gardenia can be lovely if done right. Thanks for the tip on the sample pack!
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I think it’s the second best sample pack I’ve ever seen (after Ormonde Jayne’s discovery set): you should see attention to details!
I think that this sample pack might be a good gift for somebody you want to give a gift of perfume but not sure what they would like. This set plus a gift card with the difference for the full bottle purchase.
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Ineke seems like a great house – I’ve only tried Field Notes, so don’t know much about the others. They all seem very floral, and I suspect I might struggle to pull off some of them.
On the subject of Gardenia, we had a bush growing in our garden when I was a child (not in England) and I was always entranced by it. The smell is very lush and intoxicating, but not as in-your-face as tropical flowers like frangipani can be. The flowers themselves are fabulous – ivory white, silky smooth yet waxy, delicate (they bruise easily).
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Michael, just to give you a heads-up, not all of her scents are floral. Balmy Days and Sundays is a green, Chemical Bonding is a citrus, and Derring-Do a fougere.
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Dionne is right, there are different scents in the collection.
Field Noted From Paris is my favorite perfume (and my only full bottle) from the line.
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Ok, thanks for the clarification. Perhaps I should have a closer look.
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I was quite looking forward to this release, it doesn’t quite sound like I’d hoped – but then, I hadn’t read much about it anyway.
Glad you enjoyed it. Unfortunately I haven’t had success with the Ineke line so far – which is a shame becuase I adoreeee the bottles so much. Some of the nicest out there IMO.
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I have to say that nowadays, when I find that I do not like some brand in general, I do not get upset: it’s one less brand to test/lemming for/ etc.
My favorites from the line are Field Notes from Paris and Evening Edged in Gold. And now this new one. So probably if you remember what your reaction to those two were you can extrapolate and predict your reaction.
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Actually those two were my favourites I tried – I may just have to give Hothouse Flower a shot ;)
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LEMMING!!
Portia xx
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GRRRR They don’t send Down Under!
Portia xx
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Yeah, this is a culprit: they ship only to the U.S.
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Like all the notes except gardenia! Have never tried an Ineke, though Field Notes From Paris is on my to-try list.
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If you are in the U.S. consider a sample set: 2 ml sample of FNFP from Surrender to Chance costs $5.95 + $2.95 S&H.
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I loooove Ineke’s packaging. I am going to do the sample set soon, I think.
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Go for it! :)
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I should be getting this sample in the mail some time soon. Really looking forward to trying it!
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I hope you’ll like it!
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My sample should be arriving sometime soon as well, and now I’m intrigued. I’ve only tried perfumes with gardenia twice (ELPC Tuberose Gardenia and Iris Nobile) but I like them both. And I’m a big fan of the fantastic little touches Ineke brings to her line, the bottles are especially stunning.
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I will be really curious to see how this one works on your skin. It is a floral perfume but it’s not floral-floral – not sure I’m explaining it well :)
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I adore gardenia in nature ( mine just finished a second bloom this summer!), but I often don’t warm up to it (or to tuberose) in perfume. I do love Ineke, though.Gorgeous bottles, and I love the names, their alphabetical order. FNFP is my favorite: lots-o-patchouli. I like Chemical Bonding,too. It is a sneaky one–starts out citrus, turns floral, and just when you think the shifting is over, there’s that complex, vetiver-blend base. EEIG was a bit too candied for me.
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I can stand tuberose only in homeopathic doses but I like gardenia.
Chemical Bonding reminds me a lot of DKNY Woman that I used to like but over-used at some point.
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Uh-oh! More gardenia! :) I do not have amazing luck with Ineke perfumes (respect them, but most are not “me”), but I will have to try this.
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Let me know what you think when you try it.
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I normally have a problem with gardenia perfumes but the note list for this sounds wonderful and I like the idea of a an apple green setting.
Beautiful sample set!
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If you happen to try Jo Loves’ Gardenia (which I also like) – Hothouse Flower is much less gardenia and much more green.
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It really looks wonderful. I grew up in So. California and Gardinias were everywhere. I love the flower. We really need to get you one to smell. Great review! I love the Ineke sample set. Field Notes From Paris is my favorite.
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FNFP is my favorite as well!
I think once they launch you’ll be able to try it at SF Nordstrom (Westfield) – they carry Ineke line.
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Thanks I will be jetting downtwown this weekend!
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I’m not saying you shouldn’t go downtown this weekend but the perfume isn’t launching until September ;)
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Then I shall go downtown twice!
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If you happen to be at Neiman Marcus, can you check if they carry there new Ramon Monegal line? I see it on their website but it doesn’t mean that all stores carry it.
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num, now i want to try. i already own the sample set, though!
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Have you bought it from Ineke’s site or somewhere else? If from them but long ago I’d suggest writing to them and asking to buy a sample directlysince they’ll send it automatically only to those who bought a full bottle or a sample set but in the recent couple of months.
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Oh, I bought it sometime in 2011, I think – at Henri Bendel. It was at Sniffapalooza, and the gift with purchase was the G perfume, as the box set only contained through F. :-) I’m sure a sample of this will come my way at some point. I’m much less eager to acquire full bottles these days, so that’s fine. It does sound right up my alley.
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I have no will power some days. I read this review the other day and I was intrigued but resisted the urge. Then I saw another review of an Ineke scent on another blog and between the two reviews I was helpless to resist. I ordered the sample set.
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Good for you! I really hope you’ll find at least one you like enough to go for a full bottle. And if not, I’m sure that set will be an easy swap item.
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I love gardenia as a note, but have yet to find an Ineke scent that “speaks to me”. I just wonder if this could be the one. I adore Fig Tree which is another greenish scent you commended to me, so the omens are good that I might like this…
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Actually, now, when you’ve mentioned this, I think that Fig Tree and Hothouse Flower share the same “greenness”. I’m impressed: you understand me better than I understand myself :)
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Gardenia just finished blooming. I had whopping 3 flowers this year. Come over – I’ll show you its leaves. You can also buy them at the flower market. The most loved by wedding florists are “funeral gardenias” called so because they are short-lived, inexpensive, but fragrant and look romantic.
Incidentally, I bought the Ineke’s sample set for its charming package – this prompted me to rightfully leave this comment.
I rather wonder what frankincense is.
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Here you go – all you want to know about frankincense and then some.
Let me know when your gardenia blooms again – I’ll definitely want to smell it.
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ладан? Sorry, I was lazy to look it up – the word seemed more enticing and promising than this.
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Sorry to disappoint you :) But look at it this way: a single drop – and demons start running away from you ;)
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I lemminged the sample set, ordered on Sunday and got it today! As you said, it is great; kinda reminds me of the Ormonde Jayne Discovery Set, only smaller. This set is so well done that If I had a business where it is acceptable to send gifts to clients, I would select this as a gift — it looks very luxurious and worth way more than what I paid for it.
Now I need to spend time with it to decide which ones, if any, are FB-worthy.
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Ineke’s set was my very first sample set and Ormonde Jayne’s – the second after that so in my mind I also have that parallel.
I hope you’ll find a FBW perfume among those.
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