26/07/2026
Botanica 2026,my experience.
We are nothing without the plants. This was the message that stayed with me after this wonderful conference and it spoke so profoundly to me in the moving interview with Christophe Cottereau of Les Senteurs du Claut.After all the erudite, impressive academic presentations on history, botany, chemistry, perfumery,clinical applications and research on the Lavandula species,[ and kudos to everyone], Christophe landed on my screen, in his work clothes, straight from the fields with a quiet air of humility, intelligence, spirituality, goodness and passion for the natural world. A former engineer turned organic farmer and herbalist he has a deep respect not just for the land and plants that he tends but for the interconnectedness of all living beings; humans, animals, plants.When one suffers we all suffer. His words;
”The harvest of the lavender is a mix of intense work and also precious work which is close to meditation. The harvesting of lavender must be in accord with the energy of life of this marvellous and magical plant. It demands kindness, candour, profound respect for yourself and of course for the princess that is before you”
I have always said support our artisan distillers , please.There is so much more to a bottle of essential oil, it contains the energy of terroir, the energy of those who harvest, distill, package and use it.It is our connection to the natural world,to our intuition and spirit.
There was so much to enjoy about Botanica 2026. I now have a renewed interest for example, in Lavandula latifolia , an oil I never used much. I was struck by Dr Sunita Singh’s words “ The knowledge of the forest has provided the map, modern pharmacology must now navigate the terrain”.
I also loved Rhiannon’s words from her song about lavender, “where the soul can untie its ropes and drift into safety”
Sincere thanks To Rhiannon, the Botanica team and all participants. xx
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