In the greenhouse the tomatoes are coming on, and the Marmande* shown above will be the first to be ready. As I pinch out side shoots and tie in new growth, so that unmistakable tomato leaf smell is released. If you want a perfume that recreates that fragrance - and makes it more complex - try La Feuille by Miller Harris.
*Grown from the seed of a supermarket tomato we ate. The plant sat on the kitchen windowsill for a couple of years during which it flowered but didn't fruit. I moved it out to the greenhouse a few weeks ago, repotted it, and waited to see what it would do - 'vigorous' is the best description now!
Over on Instagram I asked a question about the correct spelling of this variety. Daniel's Run Heirloom Tomatoes kindly answered me and said that the full name is Rouge de Marmande, and it dates from 1925, though I read that there is also a more recent introduction called 'Marmonde' which is what my Waitrose ones were labelled as. Whatever its origin, it's a good tomato.
Those are delicious tomatoes, I wish we could buy them in my local horrible supermarket. You are right about the smell too, it makes my mouth water, not sure that I would want to smell of it all day though.
Posted by: Toffeeapple | 08 July 2016 at 06:05 PM
My parents lived for ten years only 13 km away from Marmande, in the south-west of France. Their tomatoes are amazing!
Posted by: Florence | 08 July 2016 at 08:14 PM
Happily, there's more to the perfume than just tomato leaf - it's very 'green' and woody/earthy, too.
Posted by: Cornflower | 08 July 2016 at 09:24 PM
Undoubtedly ripened by rather more sun than we get here, Florence!
Posted by: Cornflower | 08 July 2016 at 09:24 PM
I had never thought of using shop seed, brilliant.
Posted by: Rose | 09 July 2016 at 12:00 AM
A cheap experiment which seems to have worked!
Posted by: Cornflower | 09 July 2016 at 10:28 AM