Seasonal Hydrosols

Throughout the year on the equinoxes and solstices, I teach a hydrosol distillation class. In those classes, the hydrosols and essentials oils that are produced capture what is growing in Atlanta at the turn of each season. Each blend is unique in its plant composition and therefore end product.

2023 COLLECTION

As we move through the season and distill a new batch, the 2022 version will be retired. For example, since I distilled the 2023 Spring Equinox on March 20th, the Spring Hydrosol from last year has been retired. But the Summer, Fall and Winter ones are still available.

Spring Equinox 2023- distilled on March 20th, 2023

Ingredients: loblolly pine, mountain mint, ground ivy and blackberry leaves. All urban crafted by me.  It smells cooling and refreshing with a hint of pine. It is available for purchase in a 2 oz spritzer bottle. It is great to use as a body/face spritz to cool off & to help with concentration. It can also be used to freshen up linens and the living space.

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These hydrosols are sold by donation to raise funds for the Fleur + Forage Free Clinic I run. Furthermore, 10% of each bottle sold will be donated to Grow A Row, a project meant to both nurture the Atlanta herb growing scene and also to help the free clinic source affordable herbs.

Each 2 oz bottle cost $20 + $3 for shipping. Make sure to email me your address at ml@fleurandforage.com or include it in the “Reason for Donation” box on the donation page along with the seasonal hydrosol you want.

Purchase a Hydrosol

2022 COLLECTION

TheSpring Equinox Hydrosol was distilled on March 20th 2022 , the ingredients were mountain mint, nettles, cleavers, lemon balm, ground ivy, purple dead nettle and  bee balm.

The Summer Solstice Hydrosolwas distilled on June 21st 2022 on a very hot sunny afternoon. I harvested all of the plants by 10 AM before it got to be in the 90s. I kept everything in water or in the fridge.  All of the plants except for a few 100 grams of lemon balm and yarrow came from my garden. It was so nice to be able to harvest everything in one spot, it felt like a true representation of the season transition. The distillation took 2 hrs and we ended up with 1L of hydrosol with a little bit of blue essential oil which gave a blue tint to the hydrosol.  It smells a lot like lemon balm but it also carries some of the smell and energy of the other plants. Yarrow and clary sage hydrosols are used together to adapt to new changes in life.

The ingredients are lemon balm, yarrow, clary sage, mimosa blossoms, lavender and nettles.

The Fall Equinox Hydrosolwas distilled on September 22nd 2022. This was a fun and energetic distillation since we were  interrupted by the rain a couple of times. The plants were harvested from three different places in Atlanta. The students of Urban Ag at Paideia harvested the shiso from their farm while I harvested the rest.  The hydrosol is spicy with sweet undertones. 

The ingredients are lemon balm, shiso, tulsi basil, goldenrod and nettles.

The Winter Solstice Hydrosol was distilled on December 21st 2022 at the Fleur + Forage Herbal Studio. The turmeric, rosemary and sage were donated by two Herb Cart crew members while the pine needles came from my backyard. At the end of most distillations, I do a Hydrosol Experience* where each student sits with the hydrosol and shares what they experience. The theme today was being grounded and expanded at the same time with the image of grounding coming from the turmeric and the expansion from the pine (pine trees swinging in the wind). The smell is sweet of turmeric with spicy and lemony notes from the rosemary, sage and pine.

The ingredients are turmeric, sage, rosemary and pine needles.

*The idea originally came from Katy Skipper, one of my distillation mentors.