Un Jardin Sur La Lagune

I really like this perfume for a couple reasons (other than just because of how it smells). The first reason is that this is the first Jardin that Christine Nagel has done for Hermes (the previous ones of course done by the amazing Jean-Claude Ellena), which means this is the first time we get to see Ms. Nagel try to incorporate her own unique style into a very successful line that has been - I don't think with much debate - very successful due to the style of her predecessor. I have a significant amount of respect for Ms. Nagel; she has given us some true gems, like Twilly, Galop and Eau des Merveilles Bleue for Hermes, Une Nuit Magnetique for The Different Company, Elle L'Aime for Lolita Lempicka, and many others - so, I think many of us Jardin enthusiasts waited with held-breath for the Jardins when she took the baton from Mr. Ellena, a heavy baton indeed. As far as I am concerned, and relegating my opinion strictly to Un Jardin Sur La Lagune, Ms. Nagel has taken the baton and carried it high and strong. La Lagune is uniquely Nagel, but slots into the Jardin line nearly flawlessly - and, always most importantly, it smells good! As with most of the Jardin collection I don't understand the name. The inspiration is a walled garden on the water in the Venetian canals, but a lagoon is not man-made it is nature-made. That might seem like a petty bone to pick but you must presume that a garden on the water enclosed by nature-made structures versus a garden on the water enclosed by man-made structures are very obviously different enough in terms of inspiration to lead to a different perfume. Let's set that aside though. The next reason why I like this perfume is because, as far as I am aware, it is the most overtly floral Jardin in the line - and that makes you wonder, or at least it definitely did for me when I suddenly realized it while smelling this perfume - why did it take Hermes so long to create an overt floral for a line called Jardin? Odd. But perhaps that's because they wanted the Jardins to very strictly ride the unisex line, and florals are still widely seen as feminine most unfortunately (although that has been getting better over recent years, thankfully). It does indeed present itself as feminine, but there is plenty more going on besides. The points besides, I believe, lends it to being a darn good unisex fragrance. On to the meat and potatoes (or the flowers and water, more accurately): fans, and the very familiar with the Jardin line and Mr. Ellena's style, will immediately notice that La Lagune is definitely Nagel's composition. It does not have the transparent/translucent, luminous/radiant nature of Ellena's work. La Lagune feels tighter and tauter, far more driven and purposeful compared to Ellena's aloofness (that is definitely not a criticism of Ellena or his work, by the way). La Lagune opens with a wide panoramic view of sea water and citrus. There is definitely a salty element to it, and definitely a lemon/bergamot citrus to it, but Hermes doesn't note the presence of citrus. Weird. Hermes does say we should smell the sea, which they vaguely describe as sea notes. It is in the "water" part of the opening that you get the first sign that this is Nagel and not Ellena. Ellena has done watery elements before, and in his hallmark style the water comes across as a sparkling, mostly transparent, and radiant mist; the water has dispersed and diffused in the air. Nagel presents water, as I mentioned, taut and tight - it is actual water, not mist. That said, it doesn't feel heavy and thick like water, but there is certainly more textural body and substance to it. As these notes dry down, white florals of lily and magnolia spring forth in big, saturated blooms (again, taut and tight), all sitting on a base of sparkling and light woods (Iso E Super, or something very close to it). This isn't like you are smelling the fragrances of these things on the breeze, like Ellena would have done, but like you've stuck your head straight into a bouquet. Tauter and more saturated than you would expect or would be used to for the Jardin line, Nagel takes care to make sure that the perfume never feels heavy, bulbous, or "overworked" i.e. by synthetics. La Lagune still feels fresh, still feels well executed, still feels light, still feels clean and invigorating - and all of the other critically important adjectives that need to describe an entry in Hermes' Jardin line. But, that's my opinion; some will feel that without Ellena's trademark transparency and luminosity that the Jardin collection will fall short. I, personally, am not that attached to those characteristics, so you will have to decide for yourself. I, on the other hand, plan on wearing this consistently with my other Jardins.

I absolutely ADORE this perfume. But it took me a bit to get there. I've been a fan of the Hermes Garden line for years - Hermes in general really. Even recently got myself the Hermes Jour D'Hermes Absolu (a sparkling grapefruit with citrus-sweet facets). I'll admit that the brown bottle put me off for a while, thinking that it would smell more woody than anything else. I've had an Hermes sampler for years with this one included. And for years, my nose picked up such an astringent wood note from the sample. Then one day, as I was reading through reviews on Fragrantica (as one does), I decided to read more into it. White floral but not over done? Aquatic yet not salty? Cool yet warm? Moist yet powdery? What am I missing? So I went back to my sampler and the more I smelt, the more my brain started opening up to those facets. And as the days went by, my nosebuds matured past the astringent woodiness and could finally smell the beauty of the fragrance. I came to realize the smooth notes of magnolia - and what a pleasant surprise to this white floral lover. This fragrance made me fall in love with magnolia. I finally bought a full 100ml bottle this summer. It is November of the same year and I have used more than a third of the juice. I do have to overspray this as she doesn't stick to me nearly as much as other fragrances I own. Sur La Lagune: The white floral pulls through the moist/humid texture of the fragrance at the end of which the not-so-saltiness makes itself known delivering that aquatic sensation without being watery. Upon first sniff, I'm instantly transported to a humid, warm destination. It's light enough to wear during spring and summer while being warm enough to wear in the fall and winter. In colder weather it's projection does get a little more stifled. It opens up better in warmer weather. I will say this that I haven't seen others mention: There is a fresh, clean, powdered-baby-skin like quality to me. Like you just stepped out the shower, and whilst your skin is still damp, the humidity from the shower wafts the scent of your perfumed shower gel off your freshly washed skin. This type of 'skin scent' remains in the background of Sur La Lagune. It's a familiar olfactory experience that makes me appreciate the fragrance more. Can be worn day or night; day time errand-running, church (inoffensive scent for sure), or office; casual night out with your family, or a simple dinner without needing to impress. Effortlessly elegant. Unique, clean scent without being musky. Love how @Vintila R. puts it. This is an easy reach for me.

This was instant love for me. I have lived in so many humid places in my life, and this is incredibly nostalgic. The perfumer here has captured the fragrance of the Madonna lilly quite well. However, I believe this is a representation of the lilly at night, because during the day they smell very clove like, and not heady and green like this. Pittosporum flowers are also here, captured quite well. The magnolia note is not fully developed: it lacks the subtle piney nature of true magnolia flowers. What baffles me about the official note breakdown of this perfume is the lack of a powdery note. I distinctly smell a baby powder/ talcum/ pollen sweet note leaning towards oleander in the top to mid notes. I'm quite familiar with the floral notes listed here, and none of them smell powdery. The sea notes and amber make themselves much more noticable in the dry down. Yes, the "sea notes" are salty, but they verge into "marine" territory. There is a note reminiscent of stagnant water-- in the best way-- of roots covered in moss, submerged,-- of fresh seaweed in a nearby sea. There are not many gardens in Venice. I've read that the perfumer (Christine Nagel) traveled to a private garden in Venice as inspiration for this. Although I've never been to Venice, I would say that she captured this idea very well. I've been to quite similar gardens: swampy gardens in Georgia, where pittosporum and cypress trees thrive. Or, the oceanside gardens of the Florida coast, booming with magnolia, or lemon scented brugmansia. All of these places, to my nose, had a marine, vegetal funk to them, quite like this fragrance. Perhaps, the perfumer chose to add an unlisted oleander note to clean up these notes. My hats are off to Miss Nagel for continuing the Jardin line so well. However, she very much disappointed me with her next release: Un Jardin a Cythere. Perhaps it was the combination of Pistachio and Olive Tree that created an unshakable grainy smell of stale cereal milk. More specifically, Froot Loops. However, this review is not about the other fragrance. I have worn this fragrance once a week since it's release, so it's fair to say I like it. It is absolutely unisex, and appropriate for every season. However, if you are averse to powdery and or/ marine notes: don't get this. I intensely love this combination of smells, so I imagine myself buying more bottles in years to come. I'm betting on the prices going down, as this fragrance is not mass appealing. Good for me. 💗

This is not what all current perfumes smell like and that’s what i like about it! It makes me think of those niche artsy perfumes that are not mass appealing but that if you like what it evokes, or you understand what it is about you might appreciate the fragrance and even enjoy wearing it. The humid note on the perfume doesn’t smells like humidity in a closet but more like water on rocks or how everything smells and feels after it rains. Some other comments bellow have describe the image perfect. Someone mentioned a church and some other mentioned Barcelona, to me it’s like walking on a rainy day near the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. I’ve been wearing this often during rainy days. To me this is a personal scent. I don’t know nor care about the sillage but everytime i move i can perceive the unique smell. Without thinking about the notes, it is a soft, creamy cozy hug. Also it reminds me of some fancy soaps my grandma used to have that looked like a Cameo, a fancy lady engraved in the soap. To me it smells like it’s bottle color. So yes it might smell “vintage” if you pay close attention to it, but in a normal day running around, it just feels comforting, beautiful and unique. To me it does not smell like BO, and I am very picky because I can detect BO in lots of perfumes with fruits, animalic notes and musks.

Have been sampling all the different Hermes jardin fragrances since I discovered sur le nil last year & I have to say I ignored this one because of the rusty brown colouring, which put me off for some reason.... Smelt this in store & was immediately taken aback at how beautiful it was! On first smell it reminds me a bit of TF Soleil Blanc which is one of my favourite fragrances of all time. To me this is more of a white solar floral scent then marine (I love both types of scent but I wouldn’t say this falls into a typical marine scent at all). Agree with others in that it doesn’t really follow the same pattern as the other fragrances in the jardin line, it’s not very garden-esque & performs like a beast. It really has the benefit of being a lot stronger than the other fragrances in the collection, lasting a good 5+ hours whereas the others are 1.5 hours max. It’s also probably one of the only frags I’ve smelt where the notes are identical from opening to dry down. Whereas some others only have that signature first spray scent for half an hour in the opening, this stays true to the original spray for the duration, which I love! I kept smelling the paper sample so much that I had to buy a bottle. I think this will be a staple summer fragrance for me now, warm creamy sunshine & heat in a bottle!

This scent is extremely calming for me. It is "marine" in a refined way. I use the word "marine" because it does feel watery and salty, but not "sea-like"; it doesn't smell "blue". Then those white flowers appear, soft and inoffensive. If you own more than one bottle from Hermès (or love the brand), you probably recognize the "Hermès scent"; it is here. I find it linear in the colder months, sometimes I even believe it's nothing but an expensive soapy scent. This shines in the summer and also in outdoor environments (on my skin). The bubble it creates around me is more like vapor, like a clean salty fog. It reminds me a lot of San Francisco, in July, when Karl (the name they gave to the fog) takes over the bridge. This is what I smelled on that coast (I love cold beaches!). I find it unisex; it is light with weak longevity. When I don't want to smell like anything in particular (sweet, sexy, professional), when I don't want to be someone's partner, daughter, or sister, when I don't care about my name or my craft, I wear this to gently merge with nature and the non-stopping world; it makes my rhythm slow down. My personality is more like the wind: very airy, this suits me. Keep that in mind, if you are a teen or like stronger/niche scents, this probably won't make you feel anything.

Oh, this is phenomenal! I love fragrances that smell a little unexpected and complicated, and bonus points if they can be worn year-round in a hot climate. This checks all the boxes! It's outstandingly unique while also being extraordinarily balanced. The sillage is surprising for an EDT. I adore a good warm-weather scent that branches outside the straight up "clean" or citrus notes. La Lagune has a similar vibe to Bath and Body Works In the Stars: sort of a woody skin-salt citrus-aquatic lily fragrance that pleasantly surprises and refreshes every time you sniff yourself. This smells like good, clean sweat and a hint of sporty detergent while I run through a summer storm. Or maybe it's the whiff of ozone, lightning-struck driftwood, and sports sunscreen (not the coconut stuff) spiraling down my legs in rivulets as I walk from the ocean to my flip-flops under heavy bruise-colored clouds. It smells like cuddling up with an exhausted little one in a tent on a cool fall night, burying your nose into their damp curls and smelling lake and sun and a little bit of leave-in detangler. This is an instant mood-booster for me, and one of my favorite scents I've ever sniffed. I'm going to need to give this several more test drives ASAP!

I completely agree, this is not a safe blind buy, but should certainly be considered, as for fans of soap smells such as myself this is a must. If you've ever used high end soap, or like me, order in Italian soap such as Neste Dante and want that cleanliness to linger, this is for you. It manages to tread the line of clean floral lines without overpowering either yourself or those around you. The inital blast is very heady, like a green stem split into on a bed of crushed petals, but soon settles down and warms up. The experience is a pleasant one, soft magnolia tempers the usually boisterous pitosporum, while fresh and almost ozonic, it remains dense closer to the skin, gentle warming sunlight passing through green and white foliage. The woody notes work entirely to support the other notes, and i think this delivers a perfect unisex fragrance, combine it with your other body products to craft a unique reflection of you. I have teamed it with a little Jennifer Jones Coffee beard oil, or some rosemary body oil, to excellent effects. So far I've only worn this in winter, but I imagine it will work just as well in spring or summer with a few less sprays.

notes: white floral- yes marine -no floral- yes woody- a bit aromatic perhaps salty-no aquatic-no citrus-no It is kind of powdery white flowers bit woody on the base note scent. But here is what I have learned on my pass through "perfume life" : whatever review says, whatever description writes - it all might be completely different when put on your own skin...As in many other reviews happens to me: neither reviews nor description of the Jardin sur la Lagune does not apply to me at all: on me this is one extremely pleasant flowery/powdery scent I had fall in love immediately (actually the moment I entered the shop it caught my nose and I hade to found out what it is!) and since then this love is eternal...and not only I love it, but everybody close to me smell it and are completely in love..they say they know if I had been somewhere nearby before because of this scent...it is almost eternal longevity and silage..people stop and ask me what a beautiful perfume I do wear!!! so yes, this might be something similar to Montale perfumes: my skin love it and Montale love my skin...on many others might be just opposite :)

Blind buy success recommended by the lovely Sharida and what a lovely little EDT this is. Perfect for Spring and Summer or post shower at home in all seasons. I simply love a sea note, anything salty, mariney or ozonic sea airish is usually appreciated by my nose. Here, with the white flowers it's like fresh laundry in the breeze in a garden by the beach somewhere idyllic. Beautiful on skin where the soft woodiness is drawn out . It also has a sudsy, frothy air whether that be ocean foam or wash tub filled with an incredible floral soap it evokes a bubbling, breezy feel. Not sure about the name Un Jardin Sur La Lagune more like La Linge Sur La Plage. Good longevity for an EDT. An easy wear, easy grab sort of fragrance and I'm confident it's a safe blind buy if you appreciate clean, florals, soft woods and a touch of sea salt. Also a great gift option, perhaps leaning slightly more "typically feminine" in the opening but dry down is more "unisex" whatever that means today I'm not sure and it is perhaps no longer a relevant barometer. It's a love from me. I have immediately purchased a 100mls. Mood : fresh, casual

Ever feel like you're being gaslit by perfume reviews? All the negative feedback for this stuff makes me wonder if my sense of smell is broken. I genuinely think it’s lovely, and distinctive. There's a humid quality to this garden, like I've stepped into a glass-walled conservatory in July. I suppose this can be considered "weird", but I find it compelling. The overall effect for me is a gently powdery, sunlit white floral that seems to stretch into the horizon, buttressed by driftwood and sea spray. Like many of Christine Nagel's works, Lagune is as much about texture and feeling as it is about smell, and the feeling here is relaxed and flowing. A breeze coming off the ocean on a summer night, a white sundress and sepia shades in fragrance form. I was smitten the moment I smelled it. It might not be as intellectually stimulating as Jean-Claude Ellena's esoteric mises-en-scène , but Sur La Lagune is still a beauty...or, perhaps my tastes are less sophisticated than I thought. Whatever. I'm already on my second bottle.

Un Jardin Sur La Lagune i think suffers from what was happened to Acqua Di Gio Absolu. People dont like them because the perfumes try to give something else, something different from their usual iconic dna, hence the many dislikes towards them. Because they expected something that more or less remind them why they love the line in the first place, but instead getting something new. In Hermes Un Jardin's case, this shows just how much people are acquainted with Mr. Ellena's works. And I feel bad for his successor, Ms. Christine Nagel, because her works will be compared to Mr. Ellena over and over again. Honestly, I love Un Jardin Sur La Lagune, it's floral, a bit soapy, and it is different from the previous Un Jardin which usually exudes green color, Lagune exudes white color. It is a different approach on Un Jardin line. Is it bad? No, of course not, it's beautiful, and long lasting, and if Ms. Nagel interpretation of garden is different than Mr. Ellena, what is wrong with it??

Impressionist LILY-PADS with an Edge... There are some beautiful things and some challenging this about this marine floral. Opens with hazy contours-flous like lily-pad florals (magnolia, Madonna lily & pitosporum) with lush, aquatic & powdery nuances. The sea-water beneath the florals is aquatic & salty, but decidedly not fresh. There's a slightly off scent of a lagoon or Venice in the summer - no doubt intentional - which allows the more mainstream reference to hazy, impressionist lily-pads built from magnolia & lily to come forward with a little sweetness. While the lily-pad reference is beautiful, one can understand why perfumer Christine Nagel needed to put a gothic spin on it and dodge the bullet of being cliche in a unique way. There's also a strong woody note that reads as slightly piercing up close, but helps the projection. This scent is quite polarizing, so definitely test before you buy it. Enjoy!

From WhimSea... Very fitting for the Coastal Grandma aesthetic ~ That's me! I used to have a nice stable of Hermes back in the day, and wanted to recreate those scents...I find Hermes' Jardin line so very fine and well made. I've already added Un Jardin En Mediterranee, and now this one, Un Jardin Sur La Lagune. These are both pretty recent offerings, so not too old timey. Then I'll add Un Jardin Sur Le Nil...one I had from the olden days. They're all pretty spectacular. (I got a set of all seven Jardin samples from the Perfumed Court where I learned about perfume oh, so long ago.) What I like about them is the water theme...especially the sea notes, and especially for summer. Lagune is light, aromatic, watery, somewhat salty, with the slightly sweet florals I seem to have to have. Yep, the coastal grandma aesthetic. What could be better? Except I live in the desert.

The sample in the local perfume shop is rapidly diminishing in volume because I keep going in and spraying this. None of the notes are familiar to me really - and considering I’m on a mission to replace my Bottega Veneta, I can’t even see why I like this, but I really do. I’ve just ordered a full bottle. It’s just ...different. And it reminds me of Estee Lauder Private Collection; how, I do not know because the notes seem entirely different, only a lighter and more shimmering version. Yes I detect saltiness and florals but somehow this is more than the sum of its parts- it’s just so unusual, and so wearable. This is a terrible review - I realise how unhelpful it is if you’re trying to source a particular scent, but I think what I have been craving is something GOOD that doesn’t smell mass-produced and is well blended and I may just have found it.

Thinking maybe my nose is broken after reading a handful of reviews about this scent. I discovered this while in Thailand in 2019, it’s been my go to- can’t live without- want to wear it everyday fragrance. It’s so fresh, smooth, slightly warm yet bright. It lasts days on my skin, even longer on clothes. I can smell it after laundering them even. The lasting power is just insane. Not at all a bad thing for those who love this. The notes are so minimal yet blended together I feel it has so much more than what is listed. Having seen the reviews & not being much of a review person these days. I felt compelled to just say that this scent is so beautiful. Layers very well. But for me I love it on its own. I’ve gone through 4 large bottles & have another on stand by. I wouldn’t say this is for everyone but I feel like for those that get it, get it.

Un Jardin Sur La Lagune by Hermès created in 2019 by Christine Nagel, parfumeur of Hermès, poet of international artistic perfumery. This fragrance almost seems to be inspired by the secret gardens of Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, now home to the Peggy Guggenheim foundation and museum. This sumptuous palace with large gardens was the residence in the early 1900s of the eccentric Marchesa Luisa Casati Stampa, an art collector, herself a living work of art and muse of great artists such as: Giovanni Boldini and Gabriele D'Annunzio. Intriguing fragrance, where light marine notes expertly blend with floral and woody notes emerge, revealing a fleshy and luminous magnolia, an unexpected green pittosporum and an enveloping soft and carnal white lily. A fragrance that evolves on the warm, reassuring skin that embodies the magic of mystery.

If you like Beach Walk and City of Stars, this is something to check out as well. It has that beautiful high quality sun tan lotion/hotel soap vibe going for it. Super smooth, soft yet long lasting and absolutely perfect for spring and summer day or night. Fresh, white floral, slightly aquatic but also warm and rounded at the same time. I can see why people say it leans feminine but guys can totally pull this off in summer. If you like the idea of fresh, smooth, high quality tanning lotion that comes across as natural and not overly synthetic, this completely worth trying. Absolutely LOVE this fragrance. Wear this on a coffee date in the summer, to a daytime rooftop bar, on the boat, sushi on the patio, brunch. People will ask what sunscreen you have on and they’ll love it.

after sorting a longlist of my wedding scent, I choose this to be the one for my most important day in my life. a little context is that I married early May this year (2023) and it was relatively a bit chilly and I married in the municipality in Amsterdam. I thought it's the perfect one. first of all, it makes me feels feminine.. it's very fairytale-like feeling lot's of flowers in the salty air (literally transporting you to a garden by a lagoon) and not offensive, perfect for a formal ceremony. a bit of a change for someone who loves spicy and loud fragrance. So yes, it is a mature scent but I can see a teenager wearing this on a spring/summer holiday. also.. every time I smell this, I feel like being hugged by my late mother. that's how comforting this perfume is.

Love this. Very marine, salty fragrance with just the right amount of swampiness. Lay over top of that some beautiful white flowers that are just past perfection, so their fragrance is starting to have the tiniest hint of decay. And then add a twist of lemon. When this first came out it smelled like nothing else out there to me, and nothing like the past perfumer of Hermès, Jean Claude Ellena’s subtle fragrances. I appreciated it for that very reason. I guess other people didn’t since there was an uproar about it but hey it’s good to have something a bit different in a line of fragrances. There are other fragrances now that are similar. Future Society’s grassland opera reminds of this and even the back story of that is a little similar- flowers on an island.