From earthy tomato leaf to heady jasmine, there are thousands of candles evoking the romance of the garden. But how to choose? Natasha Goodfellow burns through some helpful pointers and picks 10 of the best.
I always remember an interview I read with TV presenter Carol Smillie a few years back, where she’d been asked to name the presents she’d consider regifting. Her answer went something along the lines of ‘scented candles - enough already! What do people think I am - a Trappist monk?’ Many of us over a certain age will chortle in recognition at that, but that’s not to say there aren’t some delicious-smelling ones out there. And sometimes, when you’re overwrought, overtired or just fancy making your home smell much nicer/calmer/luxurious than it really is, a scented candle is your best friend. Custom Candles Supplies
You might think it’s simply a matter of finding a scent you like, but there’s more to it than that – chiefly what sort of wax your candle is made of. Paraffin wax (also called ‘mineral wax’) – a byproduct of the petroleum industry – is cheap, holds colour and fragrance well, and is commonly used, even in high-end brands. Slow-burning soy wax is often presented as a more eco-friendly alternative but, while soy beans are renewable, they are the driver for deforestation in many parts of the world and, unless they are organic, they are also likely to have been intensively grown using GMOs and chemicals.
Coconut wax burns slowly, holds scent well, and is more sustainable since the crop is perennial, slower growing and does not require pesticides. It is also one of the most expensive waxes, especially when you take import costs (and the associated carbon footprint) into account. Produced in the UK and EU, rapeseed oils score well on this front and are also clean-burning with excellent scent throw. And good old beeswax? Harder and more solid than the others, its own fragrance makes it more difficult to add perfumes to and is not considered vegan.
Crikey! Who knew there was so much to think about?! Allow us to suggest 10 of the best scented candles to soothe your furrowed brow!
Bath and body products company Bramley prides itself on sustainability and a love of the British countryside, an outlook shared by boutique hotel firm The Pig. This collaboration is inspired by the kitchen gardens found at each of the Pig hotels and sings with the fresh, herbal scents of lime blossom, coriander, spearmint and chamomile essential oils infused into a blend of soya and renewable rapeseed wax. A lovely memento of a stay if you’re fortunate enough to visit.
If you’re planning a dinner outside or in the greenhouse, these scented candles in their terracotta pots are the perfect rustic table decorations. Made from a mineral and vegetable wax blend, there are three fragrances to try: relaxing lavender, woody bay and rosemary or, our favourite, uplifting bergamot and nettle. Once the candle has burned down, the terracotta can be turned to good use as a planter or a little cache pot for small pots of herbs. Also available as tealights.
This pure white, GM- and paraffin-free candle by Daylesford Organic perfectly captures the sweet, earthy fragrance of sun-ripened tomatoes and their leafy vines – a scent guaranteed to trigger a hefty bout of nostalgia as well as clearing the head. It’s available in a chic kilner jar (reuse once the candle has burned down), or as a special edition in a ceramic pot which comes in a beautifully illustrated wooden box, ideal for storing seeds.
Founded in France in 1884, the master perfumers at Carrière Frères were inspired by the botanists and plant hunters of the time and their discoveries. Still going strong today, the company offers a range of single note-like perfumes made with European organic rapeseed wax, from fresh, sweet lily of the valley to rich, intense damask rose. Cotswold garden emporium Burford carries a capsule collection of seven – we love zesty, uplifting lemon verbena.
Dan Cooper always has a nice range of garden-inspired gifts and these vegetable wax scented candles are no exception. Handcrafted in Northern Ireland, they seek to celebrate the country’s wildflowers and weeds – and, let’s face it – which of us doesn’t have some weeds in our garden? ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ is fragranced with buttercup, mimosa and jasmine, while ‘Breathe in’ features sweet mandarin and chamomile. The glass jars are perfect for posies once the wax has melted, and they come with wildflower-seeded paper lids ready to be planted out.
Here’s a candle that channels the beauty of the garden in a different way – by being shaped like a tree branch! A new product from Ilex Studio (they of the acorn vase fame), it is cast in pure beeswax, a smokeless, clean-burning wax, and is free of synthetic fragrances, carrying only its own natural honey scent. Available in nine different colours and packaged in recycled British cardstock, this is a fun gift for a nature-loving friend. Burn time 10 hours.
Cath Kidston’s new brand C. Atherley (named after her maternal grandmother) has one aim – to capture the magic of Cath’s geranium-filled green house in Gloucestershire. Cath’s passion for pellies (as these tender geraniums or pelargoniums are commonly known) is now expressed through a range of products all featuring her Geranium No.1 fragrance inspired by the delicate Pelargonium radens and mixed from 100% pure essential oils. This candle is made from a mix of natural and mineral wax and will burn for up to 45 hours.
Number Eighteen is a small, family-run company of beekeepers based in Suffolk. When they’re not tending to their colonies or out collecting swarms, you might find them harvesting honey or making beeswax wraps and candles from the bees’ surplus wax. Presented in an indigo-blue votive jar, ‘Bumblebee’s Bottom’ combines beeswax and sustainably-sourced soy wax for a candle that combines optimum scent throw and burn time. And the fragrance? A mix of freesias, patchouli and sweet apple blossom to conjure memories of wildflower meadows and summer afternoons.
Interior designer Julia Roberts had long had an interest in homeopathy and when she one day discovered a Victorian herbal recipe book in her local library, it sparked a change of direction to making natural, synthetic-free remedies, balms and candles. Named after the golden, scented bushes which surround her home on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, her company, Yellow Gorse, now offers a range of six hand poured rapeseed wax candles made with therapeutic botanical essential oils, from energising rosemary, ginger and lemongrass to restorative neroli and cypress.
Custom Mold Candles Sometimes, when you want to give a gift, a candle – or indeed anything relatively small on its own – doesn’t seem like quite enough. This little set from garden designer Claudia de Yong’s online shop solves that dilemma perfectly, comprising not only a natural wax candle but a beautifully illustrated box of long matches, all tied up in a pretty cotton drawstring bag. Choose from oakwood & cedar; wild fig & grape or Moroccan rose. Burn time 35 hours.