Un Jardin sur la Lagune was launched by Hermès in 2019: the sixth of the Parfums-Jardins and the first composed by Christine Nagel, the house’s perfumer. It was born of a secret garden in Venice, the Giardino Eden, and rests on a luminous magnolia, an enveloping pittosporum, and a carnal Madonna lily, over woods and salty notes.
Robin (Now Smell This) gave a firm no in 2019 to a woody amber base of men’s cologne; Thomas Dunckley (The Candy Perfume Boy) finds the fragrance pretty and easy in hot weather; Dariush Alavi (Persolaise) judges it bloodless despite its choice words.
Olfastory’s review
Robin, Now Smell This
In April 2019, Robin let herself be tempted for a moment by the romantic vision of an overgrown garden by the water, before the fragrance turned vague and murky, like petals in water. The woody amber base ends up drowning the garden and leaves her with the impression of a shopping-mall men’s cologne.
Her verdict is a big no; she finds Nagel’s work at Hermès, apart from the Hermessences, rather humdrum, and recalls that Victoria, of Bois de Jasmin, and Persolaise liked the fragrance more than she did.
Thomas Dunckley, The Candy Perfume Boy
In late April 2019, Thomas Dunckley finds the fragrance undeniably lovely and can see himself wearing it in hot weather. He notes that Nagel’s style, more curvaceous than Ellena’s mineral watercolors, comes close to her predecessor’s here; were he to be more critical, he would call it wan.
Dariush Alavi, Persolaise
In April 2019, Dariush Alavi describes a vetiver base stronger than expected, next to a honey laden with musks and florals, and concludes it is a bloodless piece of work, as meaningful as a compliment from someone who has a way with words.