Sweet pea

What Does It Smell Like?

Sweet pea smells like a delicate garden whisper—soft, powdery, and gently floral with an almost creamy sweetness. Imagine walking through a cottage garden after rain and catching the faint scent of climbing vines in bloom. It's not heady or perfumy; rather, it's subtle and innocent, with a hint of almond-like creaminess and a whisper of green, tender stems. The aroma sits somewhere between the innocence of honeysuckle and the refinement of tuberose, but considerably softer and more ephemeral—like catching a whiff of something lovely that vanishes before you can fully grasp it.

Origin & History

Sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus) is native to Sicily and southern Italy, though it gained fame in Victorian England, where it became a prize-winning cultivar prized for cutting gardens. Naturally, the flower produces a delicate volatile compound that is notoriously difficult to extract; genuine absolute is rarely produced because the flower doesn't yield much oil. Today, sweet pea fragrance is almost exclusively created synthetically using compounds like indoles, heliotropin, and other aromatic molecules that recreate the flower's characteristic powdery sweetness and slightly green, fresh character.

In Perfumery

Sweet pea functions as a heart or mid-note in fragrances, lending softness, femininity, and nostalgic charm. Perfumers use it to add romantic dreaminess and powder-like smoothness without heaviness. It bridges between fresh top notes and deeper base accords, creating a gentle, approachable quality that feels both vintage and timeless.

Pairs Beautifully With

Featured In 12 Fragrances