Saturday’s opening picture of witch hazel Hamamelis ‘Magic Fire’ growing through dark leaved Pittosporum ‘Tom Thumb’ was the starting point of today’s vase, as I noticed the pleasing contrast between them. They were joined by Sarcococca humilis, with a sprinkling of black berries alongside the tiny white buds which are beginning to open and release their intoxicating fragrance, and placed in a shapely deep purple vase, a cheap purchase from a car boot sale I think.
Yesterday, when the vase was created, saw temperatures of nearly 10°C (woohoo!) and sunshine for most of the day, triggering hints of perfume from this and other sarcococca, 
witch hazels, winter flowering honeysuckle, the tiny pink blooms of Prunus mume and winter stalwart Viburnum bodnantense. I wonder if any of these fragrances have ever been used in the perfume industry? Perhaps I could imagine that the fragrance has indeed been bottled and, if I removed the stopper from the Caithness Glass perfume bottle that acts as a prop, the heady fragrance would be released like a genie…
Here in my garden in the UK there are an increasing number of signs that things are on the move, and although I bemoan the fact my snowdrops and hellebores are a little tardy, I know that several more days like this will give them the boost they need. I even found a couple of crocus blooming discretely in the streamside grass! Whether your garden is waking up or still in hibernation, perhaps you can still find something to pick and pop in a vase or jam jar today for IAVOM, and share it with us by leaving the usual links to and from this post.
Rambling in the Garden 
What a great way to mix your perfume with your favourites from the garden, if only it can be bottled!
Yes indeed, although I suppose it would need careful blending to ensure it wasn’t too overpowering!
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All those scents in your garden must be a real delight! Yes, if only we could bottle it. I recently heard about a company in Somerset that sells exclusive (horribly expensive!) perfumes with delicious scents: https://ffern.co/winter-23/ I don’t know if they have used witch hazel, but some other lovely ingredients are used.
The purple vase is just right for the purple foliage. And I am glad you have the odd sprig of Witch Hazel spare to bring indoors. 😃
Here is my vase for today: https://wordsandherbs.wordpress.com/2023/01/30/in-a-vase-on-monday-dormancy/
I have looked up that company and would love to smell the result – but they cannot even put people on a waiting list to wait for it as it is alreat full! I challenged one of my girls to find me an alternative to one of my favourite perfumes which has been discontinued, one that had a definite ‘fresh and green’ smell to it. She did actually come up with a very credible perfume, but I suspect this company could well have produced something appropriate, although not with their Winter 23 fragrance.
When I cut any witch hazel I only ever cut a stem that is criss-crossing or similarly less critical to the overall appearance
Nice jewel tones or tapestry colors, my favorites for winter and Tom Thumb is perfect for that. My mother had perfume bottles like that – you made me wonder where on earth they are? I think a winter fragrance perfume is a great idea! Here is my little vase, thanks for hosting. https://theshrubqueen.com/2023/01/30/in-a-vase-on-monday-american-posy/
Tom Thumb is such a great colour at this time of year, and I was pleased I thought of this vase to put the contents in as it seems to work really well with the pittosporum, and the shape also reflects the shape of the perfume bottle
I love that Tom Thumb. It seems it would grow here but is not well known at all.. pretty vase and bottle.
A most scented and interesting vase full of winter interest Cathy. I must plant a pittosporum ‘Tom Thumb’ – not sure why I never have. My sarcococca is wafting scent towards me every time I step out of the front door at the moment. I wish that I had taken my photo yesterday afternoon when there was a taste of spring in the garden whilst with today’s bitter wind it has definitely reverted back to winter. My vase is here : https://greentapestry.blogspot.com/2023/01/a-gathering-of-snowdrops.html
I heard we were due wind, but it desn’t seem to have reached here – although I persuaded the Golfer to bag up the various piles of sweeoings I have made in recent days before any wind redistributed them! You wouldn’tregret having Tom Thumb to stay – he forms a nice rounded shape, grows no taller than about a metre and of course the foliage is such an asset
I expect that perfumers are always looking – or I should say sniffing – for new fragrances to combine in a perfume mix. With a range of lovely fragrances in your garden, maybe you should try your hand at distilling yours 😉 There are plenty of flowers in my garden, albeit not those I’d normally pick for inclusion in a vase but here they are: https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2023/01/in-vase-on-monday-more-than-i-know-what.html
I know other bloggers have talked about childhood memories of picking flowers and saoking them in water to make a perfume, but it is not something I have ever done – never too late to start though!!
Oh, so pretty…especially in that vase! The match with the perfume bottle is pretty, too. Happy IVOM Day!
Thanks Beth – I need to ‘catalogue’ my vases one of these days, so I know what I have got!
Oh, that is dark. Does ‘Tom Thumb’ get blotchy at this time of year, or is it too dark for any blothiness to be visible?
Yes, definitely blotchy, Tony!
It seems that all Pittosporum tenuifolium and Pittosporum eugenioides gets blotchy. Fortunately, no one seems to notice; or they just know that it is normal, so do not mention it.
Yes, it’s really intriguing how the leaves change colour during the seasons
I certainly do not mind foliar changes, particularly among deciduous trees. The discoloration of the foliage of those species of Pittosporum are a bit more disconcerting because they seem to be diseased or even blighted in an unnatural manner. Of course, they do not mind, and it is all perfectly natural. PIttosporum eugenioides used to be a popular hedge here. Pittosporum tenuifolium used to be rare, but its cultivars are becoming more popular. Except for Pittosporum undulatum, which succumbs to Pittosporum declines more readily than other species as it matures, all sorts of Pittosporum work well in our climate.