Lily of the Valley Enfleurage (notes on process)

Like hyacinth, lily of the valley's spring flowers are borne along racemes and open sequentially, in sprays. With both flowers, the best enfleurage is produced by picking the individual flowers as they open but before they go by, accounting for weather (they must not be wet from rain or watering). This requires monitoring weather patterns: anticipating rain and temperatures. High temperatures will accelerate the bloom. At the height of flowering I will often go out to my lily of the valley twice a day to cull flowers for enfleurage. This photo shows my dedicated lily of the valley garden. It tends to take over any space with its fast propagating rhizomes, so it is best to sequester it in a nice shady spot where it can flourish without impeding the growth of any other plants.