Jardins de Bagatelle Guerlain for women

I tried my vintage mini again today. One teensy, tiny dot on my knee. I’m craving strong spring florals … So many screeching florals, blends completely into strong skunk accord, an intense pollen overdose on me. Lethal. Could knock right anyone out. One thing’s for sure, this vintage hasn’t lost its potency. Perhaps the new reformulation is good though.

It's a sweet pure floral that never takes any wrong turns. I get the white florals (gardenia and tuberose) at first, but later I get the narcissus notes and ylang ylang. Best of all the base of this is not dark, ambery or sweet. So the dry down is dry and grassy, such a refreshing change from today's florals that always seem to end up smelling like candy or oud eventually. This would layer well with Heno de Pravia products because there is a hay note in here. The vetiver is 75% grass, 25% smoke.

Wearing this feels like being outside on a clear bright day. Just lovely. It takes me back to normal times.

Guerlain meets the 80s and I'm wallowing in it! As I write this, it's a far warmer than average April day here in New England, and I am just not ready for these kinds of temps. The birds outside are singing a chorus, though, heralding spring, and as I wear this I am transported to a garden, greeted by aldehydic fanfare, finding oceans of smiling narcissus, humid gardenia and brazen, indolic jasmine. They are all kept in check by a neroli and orange blossom all the way through to the heart.

Que volupté! You must appreciate the bold florals, the ones that lead you around a leash as you wear a studded collar. They show you who's boss! Hell, even the bees come for me wearing this, and since I am the insect whisperer, I let them investigate for a bit, and once they realize it's just a dirty human being, they move on. Who can blame them for being entranced by this though? Man, this is heady, I sprayed more than I needed to, but I am taking it all in, as dizzying as it might feel—and to think this is the eau de toilette.

This is the most wonderful and penetrating floral bash I've experienced in a fragrance; a culmination of all I love about yellow and white florals, with just a wee bit of sweet Viola odorata for good measure. Jean-Paul Guerlain took a detour from the Guerlainade and let this baby simmer in a heap of vetiver and cedar shavings, all sealed with honeyed musk. Jardins de Bagatelle is like a nectar of the gods.

SMOKY bed of white florals hiding the fumigating source of a burning cherry tree! Imagine a wedding feast where the banquet hall is filled with sky-high vases of white florals and cane chairs. A server surreptitiously weaves a smoky path through this forest carrying a flambe of Cherries Jubilee. A white floral masterpiece, this beauty opens with burst of jasmine-aldehyde-violet that gives me a sense of cherries, white floral and smoke, the aldehydes coming over as smoky and burning, while the violet comes off as cherry and sometimes cherry blossom. The transition to the heart involves the aldehydes burning off to some degree and becoming less smoky and the tuberose develops while I feel the cooling notes of the magnolia, lily of the valley and rose. The base develops slowly, and as the tuberose deepens I feel the cedar, clean and sweet, like a cedar cutting board beneath the Cherries Jubilee resting on its white floral bed.

Contrast to Poison Dior:
These are very different, but there are similarities in the white floral with a delicate fruity note. Poison has a more forward plum instead of violet/cherry.

Contrast to Giorgio Giorgio Beverly Hills:
Very different scents, with Giorgio having a clean laundry vibe that I don't smell in JdB, and JdB having the smoking qualities and fruity violet, but the longer they dry down, the more similar they become.

Overall: Well above average performance, connoisseurs of white florals will want this in their collection. It's a love for me. Enjoy!

It's an 80s style and the modern equivalent might be Nomade. It "smells like" gorgeous perfume, not flowers in a vase, or gardens, or parks, or whatever. Is this somehow an homage to the Parc de Bagatelle in Bois de Boulougne? There was a wonderful streetwalker who worked the shady troittoir on Avenue Foch in the 90s and oughts who bathed in this perfume. Avenue Foch runs from Arc de Triomphe to the Bois and is lined with lux apartment buildings mixed with hôtels particulier (mansions) - many dating from the Belle Époque and very showy, not classically elegant. My casual acquaintance likely in her 60s, chic of course but racy too, dressed in a mix of couture and some fetish pieces straight out of 30s Brassaï. That's the 80s for you. I love this perfume. It smells like perfume but it has some youth and spirit to it. Improves in allure in the presence of leather, fur, and cigarette smoke. Bottle reviewed: 10-15 year old EDP refill in the jazzy gold Guerlain case - the one with the ridges and holes. A perfect commodity and it's a pity they don't market this anymore.

PS - i have been keeping a vintage refill bottle of this on a shelf near my bed. A few times a week, late at night when everything is still, I catch a distinctive but quick waft of the perfume to my nose. The bottle is capped, the sprayer is intact. But that's how penetrating the distinctive top note is on my older juice.

I’ve had this for ages - literally decades and seldom wore it. And on Monday I decided to pop some on - I have to be in the right frame of mind for florals. Anyway I’ve worn it every day this week and absolutely love it. It starts of boldly as a big booming floral and it’s tbh it can be a little jarring however within 15-30 minutes it develops into a green but creamy confection. It’s sweet/sharp/green/flowery/violet/creamy - a mix of many opposing notes but they work beautifully together. A very beautiful spring/summer perfume. Cool, elegant. This composition seems it won’t work on paper with all the conflicting notes. I would say it’s clear the master perfumer M. Guerlain knew his craft. Wonderfully feminine and cool.

I had a vintage EDT and thought I'd try a vintage EDP this time. Heavy on ylang-ylang and civet at first (there is civet in it despite not being listed on this website), and heavy on tuberose and civet later. A lavishly decadent floral that I find best for summer evenings. Makes me think of old Gothic novels. I do prefer the EDT, however, as it's not quite as opulent.

An explosion of flowers! Sparkling loud notes of flowers! How joyful is "Jardins de Bagatelle"!

𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐀 𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍 𝐕𝐀𝐂𝐔𝐔𝐌

1990s formulation:

JARDINS DE BAGATELLE by Guerlain is a remarkable perfume, structured like a symphony with three distinct phase shifts. Wearing this edp is like embarking on a ride you were never ready for. A ride of hope and despair.

𝗠𝗬 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘: The fragrance begins with a bouquet of floral aldehydes. I'm walking through a sunny grassy field of flowers that are getting more and more chaotic as I go. Suddenly, I'm completely surrounded by flowers of every colour and shape! Just as I'm about to succumb and dive into a thick blanket of velvety leaves, the flowers begin to fade, one by one, leaving a deep layer of vetiver, cedar, and neroli, with a touch of patchouli and musk at the end. This darker chypre-like layer lingers on my skin for hours, while the florals linger in the background.

JARDINS DE BAGATELLE unfolds as three distinct stages that play a harmonious sonnet, perhaps classical orchestra with a sprinkle of jazz!

Three distinct paradigm shifts: Greets being a tamed down floral aldehyde, fun, playful yet extremely complex! As the long carbon chains break apart, the floral elements amplify giving lift to a voluptuous, indolic dirty facet superimposing with coherent mineralic wave transitioning to a chypre direction.

This is devastatingly good, one of the many masterpieces by the hands of Jacques Guerlain.

Very heady bouquet of opulent and heavy white florals. You have to really adore pure white flowers to appreciate this, but if that is your penchant then this is among the best options for your distinguished taste. There is an overripe quality to the scent, it isn't fresh, powdery or green.....it literally resembles an array of fully blossomed white florals bathing in sun nectar for hours on a sweltering summer day. The texture is dewy, abundant and opaque. An uplifting and extroverted tuberose is the most prominent and she's paired with a well-behaved earthy gardenia and a soapy jasmine. The latest formulation is powerful and this is coming from someone who rarely calls a fragrance beast mode.

Characterisation: Strong, self-assured, obnoxiously confident, but in no way arrogant, the heart of the party, surrounded by company, echoes of laughter, flamboyant opulence, pearls consipicously falling from her neck, red lipstick, a baroque brooch, hair swept into an Audrey Hepburn bun, oversized Chanel sunglasses. Although shes overbearing, you love her company, you can't help but smile and you regret her absence

Inspired by Marie Antoinette's castle gardens, a smorgasbord of period wildflowers.
Finely crushed lemons and tuberose, orange blossom, and lily of the valley dormant under the skin, construct a rough and messy country garden.
It is a golden liquid like the essence of nectar with high sweetness. The medium that triggers white flowers is water.
Jardins de Bagatelle gives you a taste of what it means to be surrounded by flowers, this big weave band is made up of loud-sounding brass instruments.
The sharp metallic acidity is like the humming of a wild bee, noisy, but adds to the interest of Jardins de Bagatelle.
Rather than Tuscan country, Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee" is more suited to Jardins de Bagatelle.

I don't like Jardins, or maybe it does not like me.
I have tried two different versions, one was about 15 years ago, the second is the current one.
Although I like the head notes, there is something claustrophobic in this fragrance that puts me off.
It could be the ylang-ylang, or maybe the indolic jasmine, not sure. But it seems to lack the freshness of the air that one should enjoy in a garden, while smelling all the beautiful flowers.
One of the very few Guerlains that do not work on me.

I have a sample, which I'm going to presume is this version as it's very violet heavy & the others in the database do not list it in the notes? Not feeling the aldehydes much, this doesn't 'sparkle' with them, just slightly soapy. Very indolic white florals, mainly jasmine, over n above anything 'yellow'. Mildly earthy herby quality which does feel like being in a garden, a dryish garden in summer. This is another one the philistine husband describes as 'granny's bog cleaner'. He def hates indolic jasmine. Tbh I am not madly keen either. For a big ol' fashioned floral I prefer Amarige, which it does vaguely remind me of.

Hello from Decodawn. It's wild & windy weather in February 2022, I hope you are all staying safe. This is my review of Jardins de Bagatelle. Firstly, Jean Paul Guerlain fragrances are to be admired because each original bottle tells a story in the design & also liquid content. I own the original tall rectangular vintage edt. In the early 80s, it was all about the abundance of flowers. Romance & nothing was 'too much'. With all Guerlain fragrances patience is required for a true olfactory experience. They are not cheap grab spritz and go. They are very expensive luxury products and need handling with awe and delicacy. Jean Paul Guerlain was inspired after visiting the Chateau de Bagatelle Abbeville, France with its abundant Rose gardens & created this wonderful ode to joy for perfumistas. Many have listed the notes etc my take on this fragrance is voluptuous, well blended, rich & sensual. A loud opening, happy & joyful heart, with a sexy musky honey dry down. Obviously the Guerlainard is very prominent in the dry down. It is not similar to other fragrances it is not cold like Chanel I personally find Chanel a cold fragrance house very clinical and clean. Guerlain is all blood, sweat & tears and history and passion. I would recommend buying a small vintage sample on ebay for about £15-£20 to experience this classic fragrance. Then to save up your pennies and invest in a large rectangular bottle of the edt the edp is gorgeous but incredibly expensive. The new launch last year 2021 is a pale imitation of what was a floral powerhouse mainly due to the restrictions of ingredients. As someone once said this is a Happy, joyful fragrance and one to be loved & treasured. I absolutely love it. Masterpiece. Enjoy x 🙏❤💕

I have two unopened vintage miniatures of Jardins de Bagatelle, EDP and EDT, and I have been comparing them over the last couple of days. The EDP is in the original 80s packaging, complete with large gold cap, while I believe my EDT is slightly newer. My mom had a bottle of CK Eternity not too long ago, and JDB reminds me of it - a slightly sour white floral bouquet with green notes, more extroverted than elegant in typical 80s style. I was surprised to find that the two concentrations are slightly different fragrances.

The EDT opens with thin citrus notes that are most likely past their best. Aldehydes creep in, adding a bright soapiness and some soft white florals emerge as it develops. It is slightly metallic, souring as time moves on, but fades into quite a nice woody musky skin scent with some remnants of the florals. It doesn't last long at all - less than four hours on my skin.

I much prefer the EDP, which opens with a rich jasmine note, sweet and slightly indolic. There is a hint of lemon, adding a Shalimar-esque fresh lift, and it becomes a floral bouquet. Waxy, Fracas-style tuberose and a sweet gardenia note are pretty prominent alongside the jasmine, with a soft, dry narcissus and some rose joining in as it develops. Aldehydes add a bright soapiness, as in the EDT, and there are sap-like damp green notes, reminiscent of freshly cut daffodil stems. Here, JDB is at its best - a big, 1980s white floral bouquet. Unfortunately, it sours as it develops further, with that unpleasant metallic quality hovering behind the florals. The drydown is quite nice, slightly buttery and sweetly animalic, as Estelle17 below puts it. It becomes sweetly musky as it dries down, with almost undetectable woody notes, unlike in my EDT. Here, the sillage is pretty good and longevity is moderate.

My EDT is a much thinner, sparser, pursed-lips version of the altogether more lush EDP. (I accept that it may have gone off, but this seems unlikely considering the bottle was sealed.) A 1980s time capsule made with high-quality vintage ingredients, JDB is well-blended and has various points of interest. Better than Eternity, but it's a pity about the unfortunate sour phase. 3/5 (EDP).

So I recently bought Jardins de bagatelle in the new bee packaging and I loved it so much that I ordered a backup immediately but this time I got the older bee packaging in the gold box with black lettering. There is a difference, both are really aldehidic at first spray so wait about 10-15 minutes and that will subside. the newer one has more of a woody note at the base that if you put your nose to close to your wrist that is all you smell but put your nose 5 inches away and you get the most lovely flower bouquet in a beautiful layered effect that floats around you. The older bee bottle the base has a buttery animalic note that is not as clean smelling as the newer one. The older one also has the beautiful floral floating middle notes but it is heavier and I think I prefer the newer formulation. The newer one is definitely spring and summer appropriate and fresher in my opinion but the woody base notes sometimes compete with the florals. The older version the florals seem a bit stronger but I don’t like that buttery animalic kind of fecal note at the base. I think it is a matter of preference to which base notes you prefer.

A review for the bee bottle EDP.
Utterly beautiful! Jardins de Bagatelle is a floral bouquet with a very buttery honey feeling. It isn't fresh, like a garden after the rain. It isn't too tuberose centered. Jardins de Bagatelle is a bouquet of flowers in a very warm summer's afternoon. The buttery honey note comes flowers themselves. It isn't like honey in JPGaultier Scandal nor Lady Million Paco Rabanne. And this natural pollen, happy afternoon feeling is what won me over. No other perfume is like this and I am so happy Jardins de Bagatelle is like that on my skin.

This is a no for me. I was expecting something light and floral and on my wrist this has a kind of sour, wood smell. Maybe it's me and my chemistry, but it's a scrubber! Another famous Guerlain perfume that doesn't smell nice on me.

This is a big gardenia perfume and I should like it more since I am a sucker for gardenia but for some reason this comes across strange. I also get a headache from this one. It is just to strong and to much lily of the valley. Smells like a dying wedding bouquet, a little sad and sickening. If you like indole you will love this one.

Sadder still the complete drydown on my arm was even stranger (I thought I had washed it off) It made me think of an empty banquet room where a wedding reception had taken place. There are dying bridal bouquets on the tables and cigarette ash trays filled w/ butts and the smell of the cig smoke blends w/ the dying flowers. Just terrible. I should have put the hate emoji instead. This perfume is just horrid. Maybe I got a bad decant sample. In the trash it goes.

Une merveille que cet intemporel parfum de Guerlain qui pour moi est l'image parfaite du printemps, avec une interprétation des magnifiques roses des roseraies parisiennes de Bagatelle. Love !

As a fan of big white 80s-style florals, I thought I would love this. Unfortunately, I did not and I'm hard pressed to say why. It's well-blended. It's got longevity and sillage. The soapy/woody/scratchy notes that make this smell vintage overwhelmed the flowers for me, and I was honestly shocked when my husband sniffed my wrist, curled his nose, and said, "That's terrible." I scoffed at him, thinking it was maybe it was just skin chemistry, so I put it on my shirt and the cedar/patch/vetiver was even worse. Guerlain makes some quality classics and there must be women who can carry this off, but for me, it lacked the floral sweetness I was hoping for and dime-store White Diamonds seems like a better scent in this aldehydic white floral category.

Silly me, at first, with that burst of citrus on the open, I wondered if this was a newer fragrance. Nope, hahahaha. It does sorta feel like the 80’s met the current trends a bit since I find this is a bit demure in a way. They could have so messed this up but didn’t.

Nothing over-the-top, nothing cloying….. just layered and well-balanced. A delicate contra-alto with a beautiful range.

It’s opulent yet tasteful, and I’m dying over that subtle Guerlain DNA that brings the almost spicey/smokey threads that really elevate this to a better place than so many other lovely florals. What is it? It’s not cinnamon…. Is it clove? Anise? What is this magic? They’ve been around for so long, I feel like I should know this without even trying, but I don’t. Whatever it is, it’s got me. How can one not be intrigued by a floral from the first house to do an oriental?! Come on, that’s just a recipe for something yummy.

I do like some more recent and sheer trendy scents, but it is not the norm for me. I mean, I’ve been alive since the 70’s, so I was brought up around actual perfumes so this watered-down, essentially body spray business hasn’t cut it for me since I used Loves Baby Soft. It probably had better backbone than some of this new stuff.

I do loathe La Vie Est Belle, talk about a loud screecher, that’s what that is on my skin. And yes, I love Serge L Cedre as well as the creamy amber 273 by Fred Hayman. But this is different.
I’m not married, but I hear about wedding fragrances……. And it would depend on the wedding, I think there are a million good choices, and this would also be an option.
Well. I’ve got quite the bin of fragrances to wear, and they will keep me busy for a while. So happy this reductioned nectar of the gods is in there, and hope it’s always available.

This is a powerful floral, not gentle at all. I get a strong tuberose, and a memory of the magnolia tree outside the window of my room at my grandparents house. I don't get an awful lot of jasmine, nor can I really detect any of the other flowers individually. To me it's creamy and perhaps a little woody, definitely not green. It's a bit *too* heady for the summer, unless you want that dizzy fever dream feeling of being in a hot, verdant garden. I wouldn't describe this one as "clean," but it's certainly not a dirty, indolic jasmine either. It's creamy and comforting. In a word: lush.

i love the waxy white flowers at the drydown. tuberose is dominant here but i smell gardenia too, somehow reminiscent of gardenia by chanel. but this surely knocks that one out of the ballpark! one of the nicest white flower scent ive ever smelled

luxury, opulence, flowers, greenery, magic, freshness, cleanliness.
what a fragrance!!!
tuberose, jasmine, narcissus, gardenia to the nth degree.
it must be mine.
10/10
the masterpiece of floreality in perfumery is here.

Every once in a while i buy a perfume that makes my husband says" This is how a woman is supposed to smell Like"
That is exactly what he said yesterday when I tested my Jardins in a bee bottle I had just received in the mail. And I agree, it is stunning! For the first few seconds, I thought I made a huge mistake, as aldehydes hit my nose really strong, but as soon as flowers started to emerge, I fell in love. It reminded me of Amarige which I also have but rarely wear since It's always hot here in Arizona. In my opinion, Jardins de Bagatelle is way more wearable year-round than Amarige, but I haven't tested it outside yet, and i am a bit scared to do it since we are in a major hot wave.
Well, anyways, Guerlain rarely disappoints and I don't know which made me happier this week, Jardins or Nahema. Both are stunners!

I am in love..No..I'm in awe..Jardins is such an unexpected and a well hidden gem amongst Guerlain's creations.

IMHO it is a well crafted beauty and I managed to score an older bottle on Ebay. After being sent a sample in a swap with another fragrantician..

I received, an original bottle, not the bee bottle. Which has a smoke tinted stopper/cap, as opposed to the later editions, which has a completely clear cap/stopper.

This version is the 60 ml Spray, which was manufactured sometime between June 1983 production until August 1996. So I am very excited about that.

So far on my skin. Jardins is a pure golden, honey, floral..And I find the yellow, floral notes
to be and feel like pure, liquid sunshine. And: tuberose, magnolia, ylang ylang and narcissus and In my imagination honey bees 🐝. Are at the very heart of this fragrance; with the aldehydes, jasmine, violet and soft lilac, giving a bright, sensual sun dazed lift to the fragrance.

The gardenia and jasmine gives it some sweetness. Not too much but just enough to spark a memory of sitting in a park and a breeze carries an elegant whisper on its breath. Whilst honey bees buzz languidly, around each of these scented blooms. Drunk on this glorious golden nectar.

And then there's the rose. Gloriously in bloom and dripping with a rich, rose essence, which is weaved throughout the scent. Making Jardins a Sophisticated affair.

I'm so grateful that I was introducing to this beauty at this stage of my fragrance journey as 80s and 90s fragrances really are my passion and Jardins De Bagatelle, is no exception.

I was not alive in the 80s, but I can imagine the era of a bold and strong powerhouse within this bottle. Never expected a flower to be so commanding!

Considering Guerlain's Jardins de Bagatelle is mainly flowers, I wouldn't describe it as a "refreshing" scent. It starts as a sickly-sweet concoction with the Jasmine being most prominent in this bouquet. Maybe the aldehydes and faint powdery notes affect the flowers, but this feels darker and heavier compared to the smell of strolling outside and breathing in the fresh air of a garden. It seems like newer formulas for floral perfumes would better reach that idea of a wet garden after the rainy day. This 1983 scent is brash and slightly arrogant, yet purely floral - which makes an interesting contrast to how most would describe a flower. Once it dried down I've found this smelled a bit waxy, like an unscented candle as you sit at your desk indoors, with the very faint hint of flowers coming from outside your window reminding you the outdoors is within reach.

It's almost like a lush and opulent painting of a garden, compared to visiting the real location and being underwhelmed that it was not as vivid and perfect as the artwork led you to believe.

I can't help but feel this bomb of flowers is designed as fantasy for us who cannot enjoy the far off flowers of the world. Perhaps the growth of 9-5 office day jobs in the 1980s left a desire for smelling nature so heavily? And once again almost 40 years later in the state of quarantine and living indoors - as we want to enjoy the idea of visiting the outdoor world soon as we can?

I'm not sure who the intended individual was in 1983 to be wearing this. But for today's world; this scent feels complimentary to someone who doesn't present themselves too seriously, who does not claim to be sophisticated and complex, yet does not want to be dismissed as just part of the crowd. Along with that tone, I would not recommend this as an office scent as it's not quite peaceful and passive - but rather passive-aggressive. It lasts on my skin for about 6 hours as it slowly fades, and much longer on the clothes.


Even though this lack of a natural and refreshing scent might seem negative, I do enjoy the brashness and unapologetic nature this kind of over-the-top floral mixture provides. Though for wearing this perfume, you also need to provide that strength with your attitude and presentation. This is not for a delicate and precious little flower.

Starts green and sharp to my nose then quickly goes to very white floral. Nicely balanced. Not too sweet and not too much of a high note, as many white florals can be. Kind of dusty and earthy too. Like walking through a field of flowers mid-Spring, pollen in the air. The powdery-ness makes it feel kind of old fashioned.
Pretty. That's the best word.

fleuri, mais ne me plaisait pas, je ne ressentais pas de fraicheur, les fleurs me semblaient lourdes;
très bonne tenue, sillage ok;
l'ai offert à une amie; pas de blind buy, fait mature et classe

I can’t write about this fragrance objectively. It’s too tied up with my memories of wearing it at 18, when I was traveling abroad on my own for the first time. Feeling free, independent, and oh-so-grown-up. I can’t conjure up right now what daffodils smell like, but Jardins de Bagatelle makes me think of daffodils. And the e.e.cummings poem that starts with:

in time of daffodils(who know
the goal of living is to grow)
forgetting why,remember how
[...]

Jardins de Bagatelle to me is liquid sunlight and pollen (it’s also walking through a European city park knowing that I can go in any direction, choose any museum, or walk into a train station with my Eurail Pass and go to any city I please). It’s gardenias and musk (it’s also striking up conversations with strangers at youth hostels). After not smelling it for 20+ years I acquired a decant of the vintage EDT. It hasn’t changed and makes me feel like, deep inside, neither have I.

This one is very classic, delicate but also heavy. Initial spray gives me a very big fresh white flower bouquet.. and it’s pollen. Actually it was like somebody smashed me in the face with Lilly’s. That all got balanced after half an hour. But that Ylang Ylang keeps bugging me. Not sure I am going to wear this. Just don’t want to smell like white flowers and a tiny bit of dirty green juice only. Too bad because this juice is of real quality.

An intoxicating flower bouquet: for me narcissus and ylang ylang figure the most prominently, with tuberose and jasmine closely following. Gotta love flowers!

Too much woody, green and vetiver for my taste. It settles down better than the initial "hit". There is some chemical fruity vetiver mix that does not go well for me.

This is perfect tuberose on my skin, creamy, narcotic, excellent sillage. It starts with a strong blast of aldehyde which, fortunately, turns to the most wonderful, huge, flower bouquet. I can smell the ylang ylang which adds a touch of sweetness, lily of the valley and gardenia adding freshness but the tuberose is there all the way and it is utterly gorgeous. I see this more of a summertime scent, outdoorsy type as it packs quite a punch and needs space and warmth to blossom.

Opens with citrus, aldehydes and faint florals. Dries down to a mixture of florals I can't quite identify, like a mixed bouquet of softly fragrant flowers with sharp hints of bergamot and aldehydes still present. I'd characterize Jardins de Bagatelle as an aldehydic fresh scent with a faint floral heart. At the late stage of its dry down, it becomes musky and 'barely there.' Projection starts out moderate within an hour and rapidly diminishes thereafter.

Hand made soap, kind of expensive one , garnished with dried flowers

Later edit: I was such an ignorant with this one. On my skin the soap is still there but more than this an amazing garden, I breathe the perfume around me and I can visualize childhood memories, all those beautiful flowers, powerful, potent. It is serious, decadent but somehow playful. It has a special sweetness.

Thank you drugstore classics. I read a review that it was similar to In Love (N Hartnell) which reminds me of my mum.... hoping it does, just to evoke lovely childhood memories.

No worries, Bunnyrabit! If you've ever used scented soap or hairspray or bodywash or lotion, then using a scented product from Guerlain (apart from individual allergens) is not likely in ANY way to harm you. Aldehydes are merely a common aroma chemical, similar to many another aroma chemical, used in everything from air fresheners to fabric softeners and detergents. ENJOY - you will smell Fabulous!!!

The first time I sniffed it, back in the late Eighties, I was a teenager (but a very styled one with clear fragrance ideas/tastes in mind!) and this was the novelty perfume worn by this very rich and elegant socialite of my area. I was babysitting her little girl for the summer and could appreciate this perfume she was wearing daily.. she really made a statement, and it was so popular on her with everybody complimenting her, that I recall she was offering to her friends those lovely bath/lotion/fragrance sets of JdB.
I loved that fragrance…. For the hype that surrounded it at that time but also for its uniqueness and the sheer beauty of it.
To me Jardins de Bagatelle represents the fragrance of summer, for a woman of style that has a defined personality and is at the time sophisticated, elegant and not understated: the tuberose here is bold -but not scary like in Fracas.
When I grew older I started using it and went though many bottles of this lovely, classy scent. I discovered that I love white flowers with this perfume.
I also discovered that men loved it a lot. I always got tons of compliments about this perfume… I guess it represents a classical but joyful femininity... and people are attracted by that.
I got into JdB again after years of forgetting it for unknown reasons. I realised how much I missed that fragrance... mostly the drydown.
The drydown is the best part of it: so lovely, cosy, warm and feminine and close to your skin... makes me feel really good. Incredible staying power, distinctive sillage and projection.
I own a couple of vintage bottles (the rectangular tall ones) and a couple of the newest bee ones, in edp.
The vintage formula is more concentrated and creamier, heavier on the cedar and patchouli. The newer editions are a little more airy but I enjoy them all the same. Longevity is stellar even in the new formulation.
JDB reminds me of those years, a long time ago… and of the girl I wanted to be. Which is the girl I am… I love this perfume.

Smells almost identical to Marquise de Pompadour by De Barry. Lovely French basket of flowers. Perfect for spring and very very chic. Where de Barry’s formula is deeper and more sultry than this, this is flirty and sparkling.

Jardins EDP about 10 years old. 6 hours in, it is an exceptionally alluring floral. Bewitching and unique. I don't have a perfume that holds off the base for so long, although it must be there for it to smell so complete. Sophistication. Never becomes dirty, musky or earthy on me, but it is jammy and thick or voluptuous. The impact is better after an hour, so in my opinion, apply well before any event. Anyway, it is not a statement fragrance or signature scent, because it is too chic for today's crowd to notice or appreciate on the fly. Wear it for yourself or to share with your lover. Acceptably unisex.

I typically go for spicy oriental perfumes (Nishane Ani or Chanel Coromondel). However, I do love a beautiful Tuberose, dirty or clean. So, I tried a sample of this, and OMG!!!! This was the most amazing floral perfume I have smelled in a long time. I’ve been wearing Armani Privee’s Rouge Malachite when I wanted to smell like flowers ... but move over ... I can’t believe how much I love this. I love the first sniff, which includes aldehydes, a little dirty vibe, and glorious flowers. The middle unfolds more flowers. I get a definite intense smells of tuberose, violets, and jasmine. The full dry down unfolds to such a creamy, powdery (but not headache inducing) feminine scent, that I couldn’t help just smelling my arm the rest of the day. The sillage and longevity is just amazing. I don’t know that I would blind buy this, but if you are looking for a very feminine, classy, expensive smelling floral perfume, look no further!

Magical. For some reason, this reminds me of a memory I didn't know I had. I was travelling through a train station with my mother in eastern Europe. There was a man selling *erasable* coloured pencils (or was it markers?)! I was completely enamored with them and wanted my mother to buy them, but she would not. End of memory. That's what I remember when I smell this, youthful innocence, a sunny walk, and the feeling of seeing something so wonderful that you want to cherish it forever.

Its beautiful. Review for the new bee bottle. I suspect this was even more beautiful in the past. Want to try a vintage at some point, But even the new formulation is beautiful. You have to wait for an hour though! As a typical Guerlain it opens up in layers and the last layer is the best one. I don’t know how they have done it in this case as the post 1h on skin is actually lighter and brighter, more nature like, than the first spray to first 30min. But this is absolutely lovely, very real flower like but with just enough synthetics to have staying power and structure. White floral (jasmine, tuberose, fainter lily of the valley), yellow floral (I get daffodil on this one), no metallic for me, just a tiny bit of sweetness. Its very elegant, loveliness with intelligence. I love their ability to mix so many notes and flowers and yet make them work perfectly together. This kind of layering and detail keeps the fragrance always interesting and your brain and subconsciousness does not get bored even with long wear of the same scent. There is a quality of purity and light and beauty to this scent. I think of a beautiful lady, dressed in a simple but elegant white dress, wandering through gardens, taking in the beauty, summer afternoon light falling on the leaves through the glass ceiling, afternoon tea. This is for a woman who chooses a perfume to please her own senses, not to make an impression or attract a mate. The latter two follow from the first attribute.
Edit for a vintage version: so wonderful and quite unique, not in a loud sense but as in that it has notes which have been structured in a way that doesn't seem so common in the fragrance market, especially today. Incredible staying power without ever turning dull, I can smell it on my wrist a good 18h later. There is a certain richness and delicateness in equal balance in this one, like in a beautiful bouquet of flowers from an artisan florist.

Hello Lily! Good to smell you, but Tuberose is here visiting and will be for a while!

I don’t get the metallic note.

I do get a beautiful dusty tuberose with gardenia and a sneaking appearance of leathery jasmine. .

Easy to over spray it has the same effect on my senses as the OG Fracas - I just can’t walk away from it, a hint of indolic keeps me coming back for more as I am so curious as to what the base is trying to tell me! Do I sense violet peaking through?

Very elegant. Not for the kids. Not a hint of sugar in sight!

If you miss Diorissimo, try this.

I see it more similar to PdN Le temps d une fete than to Roja Dove Scandal. But heaps better than both.

It has character. It is fun, bright, sexy, exuberant and confident. The famous promiscuous trio of tuberose, jasmine and gardenia, spiked up by narcissus, ylang, vetiver, violet, aldehydes and bergamot, toned down with a rather ouzo-like neroli.

Good. Very good.

So beautiful. It starts floral, then comes the metallic as mentioned before, but that doesn't stay for a long time. Wood comes through with roses, flowers and grass. That combination reminds me a lot of the countryside where I use to spend mychildhood summers. The long, careless summerdays being in the fields full of flowers and the smell of grass. Never thought I could find that smell back in a bottle by Guerlain. A big love.

I received this in a trade, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I had several samples of it in the 1980s and wasn't impressed, but I've learned to appreciate the subtleties of fragrances as I've gotten older. I decided to give JDB another chance because I'm attempting to sample as many fragrances with tuberose in them as possible. I'm not certain whether the vials I received from Phantomias are original, vintage, or current formulas.

At any rate, I don't smell much tuberose in this at all! It is, however, and subtle, gentle floral/soapy scent on my skin. Like Anamandy, it isn't very strong on me at all. Now it's drying down to a pleasant Dove soap scent (what IS that Dove fragrance made up of, anyway?), but in general, JDB is pretty but faint.

I should have learned my lesson already with Guerlain fragrances. Sometimes, it's not love at first sniff. Sometimes you have to give yourself time to get the know the fragrance, to pick up the notes, to almost acclimate yourself to the scent. What can seem strange at first, with more wearings, will slowly reveal itself to you. That is what happened to me with some other perfumes from this house. I hated Shalimar Cologne when I first tried it, finding it too sweet and cloying, but the more I wore it, the more I got used to it, the more I was able to decipher the notes to the point where I now adore it. I hated Mitsouko eau de parfum the first time I tried it, yet loved the eau de toilette. Then tried the gorgeous extract, and as a result can now appreciate the eau de parfum too. Sometimes your nose and brain needs time to appreciate a scent. That is certainly the case for me now with Jardins de Bagatelle.

The first few times I tried it I found it so confusing. I couldn't figure out what I was smelling or was smelling notes that weren't even there, at least not in the note pyramid. Oh, but now I am getting the full beauty of this perfume, and I am loving it. Now I smell this lovely bouquet of flowers, so delicate but at the same time so present and clear. I'm not getting metal or any of the other negative notes others say they smell. Just a wondrous floral composition of tuberose, ylang, daffodil, rose, neroli, jasmine, and much, much more. And best yet, it lasts and lasts with beautiful silage. This fragrance really makes my heart sing!!! For those, who like me were initially disappointed, don't give up. One day this fragrance will reveal itself to you, and you too will be floored by its beauty.

My vintage JdB arrived today. I'm not sure how much has been effected by age, but as of now, I actually prefer the current formulation. For one thing, the aldehydes are much more potent in vintage, and because of what I assume is some degradation of the top notes, it makes for a rather musty opening. In contrast, the newer perfume is both fresher and softer with the florals present almost immediately, especially the jasmine. I am sniffing my wrist like crazy!! Well done, Thierry Wasser! This can grow into a love come springtime!
==========
That didn't take long. I am now deeply in love with both versions. The vintage cleaned up nicely after the bad juice in the spray tube was sprayed out.

This is an "everything but the kitchen sink" floral bouquet typical of the big 80s, but somehow softer and lighter. Perhaps it's because it's the most recent version in the bee bottle. I ordered a used vintage from Ebay to compare. I have no problem with this version. I think the florals are very well blended, and while overall it's a white floral, I can detect the violet. The narcissus keeps it all fresh and green, and the aldehydes give it lift without beating you over the head! There is a slight muskiness which I attribute to an indolic jasmine as well as the base note, which add just a touch of animalic earthiness. The overall effect is quite pretty. I know individual tastes and skin chemistry vary, but I don't understand why this seems to be so polarizing. But then again, I don't understand why florals have fallen so out of fashion. They seem to be making a comeback though, and I think JdB will fit in quite nicely.

I agree with the review by Jezebeel, based on the ratings and notes, I thought it would be similar with Amarige or other big white florals 80's perfumes which I love, this is not at all. I bought this blindly(the worst blind buy) almost 2 years ago as I wanted to give this perfume another chances. I love Guerlain classics(Mitsouko, LHB, Chamade etc), as always I don't judge Guerlain from the first spray, so I waited until this perfume 'bloomed'. I didn't like it, it gave me headache so I had to scrub it. I tried another day, from spring, summer, winter, it's still the same, always gave me headache.Today I sprayed once again on my wrist, after 5 minutes I had to scrub it again as it started to give me headache. It has that very sharp, very screechy, super harsh notes that won't tame. Now I know this perfume is a big no for me. Mine is in a bee bottle.

I haven’t gotten a proper fix on this scent. I’m still trying to figure it out. Still trying to figure out the notes too. I didn’t smell much except lots of green notes and what smells vaguely like oak moss on first application, though I don’t see that listed in the notes. Figured this just needed time to develop and went about my business. An hour later I still couldn’t smell much of anything. Then I stepped outside into the cold air and this thing exploded - but into what? I still couldn’t figure out the floral composition. Is this another abstract fragrance like Nahema? I don’t even smell much floral in this, and I was so hoping to smell tuberose. Sure wish I could smell the flowers so many others seem to be smelling. I smell more green notes than flowers, and the floral is so light it’s really hard to discern what flowers they are. I did get the new bee bottle. Could it be that they’ve removed everything that made this scent special at one time? It might be. It's also very cold here now. Maybe it’s the wrong time of year to wear it. So far, I’ve been lucky to have fallen in love with quite a few Guerlain scents over the past year. Right now, this doesn’t seem to be one of them. Guess you can’t win them all. Fortunately, it didn’t break the bank. IDK, maybe my nose is just off today. I’ll give it a few more tries before throwing in the towel.

I'm a huge fan of Guerlain classicals (Shalimar, Samsara, etc...) BUT not this one.
I'm not sure if all the listed notes are correct, as there is a foul hint of cumin (maybe?) that just ruined this juice for me.
It reminds of a person with BO who failed to cover their stench with an outdated perfume. It is definitely spicy, and the spices have taken over all the goodness of the white flowers, which is quite unfortunate.

This is definitely not a blind buy; don't repeat my mistake of purchasing it based on the notes that seem so tempting. Please try it beforehand.

In 1988, when I first purchased JDB, it was a classy, refined fragrance. Alas, its beauty has been destroyed by reformulations. I can no longer commend or recommend.

This tuberose beauty can be irritating with her screeching metallic voice (I have vintage EDT). However, I like to wear it when going to a bakery for fresh croissants on a sunny spring morning. Mixed with whiffs of warm gluten, butter, sugar syrop, general sent of bloom in the air and UV it exudes a Parisian chic and never fails to put a smile on my face and a spring in my feet.

Tuberose laying on a steel plank heated by the morning sun. The aldehydes and other green florals invert the tuberose’s natural aggressiveness to joy at times, giving the impression of violent joie-de-vivre. Jardins de Bagatelle is as pigheaded about business as Fracas is about partying, all white flowers inside power-blazers, permed bangs and no-nonsense. Love it.

This is a sophisticated scent for a woman on the go. It is an intense, green woody, white floral scent comprised of a stunning bouquet of tuberose, magnolia, jasmine, violet, gardenia, rose, orange blossom, ylang-ylang, orchid, lily-of-the-valley, narcissus, and tuberose. Combined with citrus elements of lemon and bergamot with an added layer of cedar, vetiver, patchouli, musk and neroli. It is hard to describe, almost like Estee Lauder's intuition, but with a musky, woody scent. I have to say the more I wear it the more I love it. I am thinking about getting the EDT and layering them for longer wear. Sometimes if I put it on at bedtime, I wake up with a whiff of perfume on my arms. Truly gorgeous!

I'm a guy
I love this juice. Vintage formula
I keep it next to the bed
I spritz and hang out on my day off
I wear it to Wal-Mart
Big bold retro

I'm a guy
I love this juice. Vintage formula
I keep it next to the bed
I spritz and hang out on my day off
I wear it to Wal-Mart
Big bold retro

From the notes, I thought this perfume would be a gorgeous fresh white floral! I thought WRONG! Smells very vintage and grandma. The only good thing I can say is that has a large silage and longevity. Not for me, it's going on eBay.

Purity is what first and foremost comes to mind for Jardins de bagatelle. In our times it seems most welcome, probably why i always seem to reach for it - even if its just to have a sniff for a while from the nozzle. I have a few variations: edt 90s, edp square with wavy indent, refills and a bee bottle edp not the sun goddess. They all have their nobleness.

Recently whilst flirting with a few scents in store i picked up the bee bottle edp sprayed a little on a card just to compare, walked outside...Ahh!!..Heaven! Everything else i played with seemed to pale and diminish.
I had not percepted this sense of green to JDB before ? Could there be a slight change ? (not that i mind).. yellow always appeared dominant to me - but yes I smelt more green, not in the oakmoss, galbanum classic sort of way we speak of. But like a green leaf with cool green chlorophyll seeping out. Rich sweet green and refreshing. Florals are there, yes you sense the ylang and perhaps tuberose but you feel the cologne like perfume which sits and fills the air.. Beauty.Purity. Sweet white floral cleanliness but not in that harsh bleach like state.
Longevity works nicely for current JDB and i still enjoy its composition right through.

Received the 50ml de parfum for $52 today ,1982 on it with golden casing. Smells Devine, I had to Order another in glass bottle with icy cap 120ml vintage de toilet for $70. I don't like flowery fragrances, but this has a slight Caleche to it. Love the bottle, the two are pictured above, not the bee bottle. Am quite lucky as sellers are asking 100s of dollars for these.

This is the cleanest, purest sweet nectar note I've ever smelled. It's almost completely linear, with no nasty changes or chemical harshness -- just sweet nectar, long-lasting but not overwhelming, non-allergenic and no headaches.

I use it as a base for layering all manner of other scents. It accentuates the fruity notes of other scents, and rounds out woody or musky fragrances, adding a feminine sweetness to even the most masculine scents.

The new formulation in the bee bottle is the best. Don't bother with the old formulation -- it's weaker and more chemical, with random other notes that make it smell somehow ordinary.

Go for the new one. Its purity is a huge departure from all the fruity-musky-everything-mixed-together scents that are everywhere nowadays. This is the genius of Guerlain -- that the house can re-issue an "old" scent in a revolutionary new formulation!

This is such a beautiful well-blended white floral with a touch of citrus and a hint of that Guerlain anise touch to it. It warms to a soapy clean and fresh floral that reminds me of a laundry dryer sheet. Lovely, classic, and tasteful.

Romantic heady and opulent! Smells like a bunch of freshly picked white flowers! especially tuberose and gardenias.

This rich creation is one that needs careful and mindful application! Correct dosage is paramount! Too much renders it too strong and cloying! A light hand, the right chemistry and conditions and you will smell divine. This is key to this particular fragrance!

I love the review from RoxyJuliet about the bucket of white super fragrant flowers drowned in scotch whiskey! I agree! it doesn’t smell like whiskey itself but it has that deep boozy, steeped brewed concoction feel! Like it was a long careful orchestrated process to achieve its final quality product!

This is a dame of a white flower fume! It’s Beautiful, Big and bold like the eighties! She demands and deserves respect:) and has it from me! <3

If you really like white florals (specially tuberose) this is a must!

Classic, opulent and elegantly crafted... Thank you Guerlain for this Masterpiece!

This is a rich floral fragrance. The scent reminds me of a bucket of white super fragrant flowers drowned in scotch whiskey and drizzled with a bit of honey. This is a heavy hitter in the opening and lasts all day as a warm floral haze around the body. If you love rich deep florals like Songes by Annick Goutal, Loulou by Cacharel, Poeme by Lancôme, Mahora by Guerlain or Jadore Absolu by Dior, you will likely appreciate this.

I will always have this beauty in my collection. Five-stars - a Guerlain masterpiece.

This is an aldehydes and white floral bomb. The most noticeable flower on my skin is narcissus, about which I feel indifferent. I cannot distinguish the other flowers. The aldehydes are pretty heavy, which I dislike very much. It makes the perfume "soapy", so much so that it irritates my nose. Big dislike for me.

Vintage JdB is supposed to be a white floral, happy and exuberant lovers in a night lit garden ... it's none of that on me. Granted, my bottle is old and well traveled, so maybe it's a bit off.
JdB begins with strong white florals and intense sillage. It quickly dries down to a aromatic note which reminds me of yarrow and wild daisies, both of which have almost bitter notes in their scents. There's no sweetness here, rather an almost herby presence.
It's beautiful, sophisticated and quite wearable. A little goes a long way, on me one light application lasts for hours.
This is a feminine but never girly scent. I envision a sunlit garden, more cottage than formal. A riot of all sorts of plants, annuals and perennials scenting the air, the kind of garden I dream of.

Jardins 1.7 edp vintage bottle.
Vintage brings the voluptuous curves and density to this floral. It's a beautiful scent in the summer. There is a very strong relationship to Roja Scandal. I feel Scandal leaves more breathing room between the notes and has a lighter vibe.

It's better to put money into a white floral scent as cheap versions can veer too sharp or screechy...
Jdb does the job at it's price point for a romantic white floral.

I have the modern reformulated EDP version, so I can only fantasise jealously about the superior delights contained within the original version. So I won’t compare, but I can give a fair review of the modern EDP.

I first discovered it in a store in Ibiza, where its light, sparkling white florals makes it perfect for wearing in the glorious summertime heat. It’s not too vintage, so the granny-splash element has become more contemporary and wearable. The aldehydes are not too overpowering and the tuberose doesn’t screech. There’s a slight spicy note on me, in a similar way that Chanel No.5 becomes spicy amongst the florals. It does remind me very much so of Boadicea The Victorious ‘Divine’ but no where near as good - this is the poor quality copy. It’s also a little like Roja Dove’s ‘Scandal’ but not as authenticity floral, pure nor heavenly.

I’m short, it’s a synthetic take on an airy, white, slightly vintage floral. The parfum far out-performs the toilette, the clear glass bottle is pretty, but there are far superior but similar fragrances out there - I’m sure the original was one.

I purchased this from the Guerlain flagship on the Champs-Élysées in Paris last summer. It came down to this and Joyeuse Tuberose. JT seemed like the obvious choice, and although JdB was extremely sharp and almost outdated at first smell, I felt like there was something there I liked. The SA admitted she was a little surprised that someone my age (30) was interested in JdB, so I sprayed one on the left wrist and one on the right and browsed the makeup section as I waited. About 20 min in, JT hadn't changed much and was still soft and lovely, but to my shock and delight JdB was no longer dense and almost suffocating sharp citric violets and had instead EXPLODED into a warm, floral bouquet. I grabbed my SA and she was equally shocked. I realized that the heat and humidity that day was a huge factor, and now I use this exclusively when I know it's going to be a scorcher and I'm going to sweat - I feel like I'm wearing a necklace made of flowers from a garden around my neck. There's definitely a cedar or some woody smell that grounds the florals. This is also what I would describe as a heavier scent, but in the right context, it's perfect.

For the most part, I have never encountered a Guerlain that I didn't like...until Jardins de Bagatele. I have a 4 ml mini that I've had for a good while and over time, I've tried and retried to test this in order to understand it, but no matter how many times I've tried, in my opinion, this is was a "miss" for Guerlain. There's an overload of something in it that renders it intolerable for me, to the point where it starts to make my stomach feel too queasy to wait for the dry down and see where it's going. I have to scrub it off each and every time. It seems to be fine for others, but this literally makes me feel ill.

Too much ylang-ylang. Nasty super strong cheap smell. Reminds me of something from Fred Hayman I once threw away. Rodeo Drive 267, it was called, or something like that.

My second review, because.....I GOT it.
Now, for the proper review.
First thing is aldehyde, which wear off quickly turning sweet. Now here come the bouquet of white florals. This is where it lasts for around 15 min to a half hour before developing. ( it develops quickly, or I am catching every nuance) Then, mellow powdered lime with some lemon in the background, and nutmeg (not listed) and a fresh tobacco scent ( also, not listed). It almost reminds me of Organza with lime.
There is definitely nutmeg in there , with powder, lime , white florals, tobacco. And Idk, but distantly a pleasant rubber smell. A unique masterpiece !
It is lovely in the warmer weather imho, but any time of the year it seems to fit.

Now, it is as if it disappeared on your skin.
No, it did not, because I sprayed this little jewel about 2 hours ago, and catch the beautiful wafts. A limey, lemony, powdery, nutmegged white floral. I'm expecting it to last to tomorrow.

Anyone could wear this, as I feel it will accentuate you, whether your a bold career woman, a woodsy camper , or delicate 'Georgia Peach'. However, I envision a smart dressed woman, very intelligent, who is unusual, though quite attractive, varied interests not afraid of the world. She goes shopping at the Bizarre in Turkey, then takes two weeks thumbing it back to her Paris penthouse. Back to the States for a southern bbq and pecan pie , then back to NYC to help out mom and dad, bringing them gifts from afar.
It's all that.

Aha aldehydes, no wonder I don’t like this.
I had a spray just to see what it was. These fragrances don’t agree with me I don’t get the ‘nice’ parts people compliment, I get the rough harsh bleh parts.

It was good to see what I could identify though.

Here are my initial thoughts on spraying a test card:
Sharp, angular, screechy floral but with acid (must be aldehydes at play) green but nit freshly so, feels ‘yellow’, feels 80’s floral in the vein of Panache, Chanel 5....

Oh I wish I could detect the three distinct layers, especially as they are described so well by Sherapop, but tuberose really seems to stick to my skin. Don't get me wrong, I love tuberose, but what a shame that I am missing the whole experience. I certainly won't be giving this fragrance away, but by having tuberose in the top notes AND base, it is so overpowering that I don't feel confident to wear this in public. I am enjoying being enveloped by Jardin de Bagatelle today though, because it is a rainy Saturday and it seems to compliment a stay in and indulge in the doona day.

Loud 80's floral. This is not a bad thing in my book (I love Amarige, the loudest floral ever) but your mileage may vary. Raucous, buoyant white florals - mostly tuberose - in a bright spring meadow, with a bit of soapiness to keep it from smelling like a flower shop. Reminds me of a favorite of mine, EL's Beautiful, not in the way it smells but the mood; both are rich, full, but very grown up floral fragrances. JdB has more of that 80's playful exuberance than Beautiful (and is very easy to overapply... which is exactly what I did.) Brash and ebullient.

Old-fashioned floral smell, and actually not very exciting.

To hell with Luca Turin's negative review of JDB. JDB is the perfect fragrance for a cool spring day stroll. Fleshy white florals--tuberose, jasmine and gardenia, complete with the soil, leaves and dew drops! Yes the entire garden. So posh and fresh with a cool retro vibe. The initial spray is strong, but it mellows down to a smooth, creamy fragrance. It doesn't have an enormous sillage but the lasting power is good. I noticed it turns quite sweet on me towards the end, maybe because I sprayed this on after I bathed with Lush's It's Raining Men shower gel, which was a sweet honey/toffee scent. I have the EDP and the fragrance lasts more than 8 hours, at least on fabric.

This starts off with light, fresh cut white flowers, very pretty. Unfortunately after a couple of hours on my skin it gets indolent, which I don’t like at all. I know some people like indolent, so that might be a selling point for them. To me it just smells like a sticky sweet mess. Too bad, it’s really still quite pretty on fabric.

As I sit here on my computer, a lovely scent appeared and disappeared. I thought it was moi, but I my hair smells like Organza ( which is great, too).
The paper samples. It's one of my paper samples. Lo and behold:
This scent was coming from the paper sampled with GJdB,......that I sprayed TWO days ago!!
Guerlain is quality, this is for sure, and that scent, that scent..... I have to have it.
I didn't write a review, but I will within the next few months, because I'm getting it.

Edit:3/16/18....Got it and loving it.

I just bought this and it smells nothing like the one I used to wear. Can someone tell me if the formula has changed or perhaps it may be off or not authentic?

Jardins is a very strange one for me. One day, I'll love it. The next, it'll be my worst enemy. I started out wanting a full bottle, but now I don't think I'd use more than a 15mL decant.

Again, I love this sometimes. When it's not too much, it's a beautiful bouquet of fully bloomed flowers on a hot day. The sun is shining in and the soft wind is pushing in the smell of slowly heated flowers. The oils are fully fragrant, it's aromatherapy direct from nature. I detect a lot of tuberose, jasmine, violet and orchid flower. The aldehydes mentioned aren't entirely present to me.

When it's not my friend - get a way and burn it with fire. Like Chamade, in the cold weather, this can go STRANGE. Chamade in the cold weather, for me, is so spicy and not even floral. This goes METALLIC. I usually don't mind metallic but this is rusted and perhaps a bit mouldy. This is 100% a spring time scent (or at least a warm weather one)... never mistake that.

I fell in love with this scent at first whiff, during it's launch back in 1983, the year I got married. Pure white floral paradise!! I wore it as a signature scent for a long time and still have most of 2 bottles of the EDT in my collection. It fills me with nostalgia when I spray it now--and a little sadness. It's so soft and romantic and feminine--and I am no longer any of those things. Takes me to a time and place where I was young, and felt loved and was excited by life. I miss feeling like that.

I only recently started getting into the classic fragrances, and out of all the great houses, Guerlain’s gilded reputation and obvious dedication to fragrance has appealed to me the most. I can’t imagine encountering a company with a more impressive and lengthy resume studded with so many fragrances that go beyond just pleasant smells to complete olfactory-mental experiences. If it exists, I’m sure there’s a wing or building at Beauxbatons that has the Guerlain name engraved on it.

Having said that, Jardins de Bagatelle was the first Guerlain that I didn’t adore after the first wearing. I must admit, I wore it on a hot and humid day in a bad mood, and this may have colored my opinion. I will give it another chance, I think, in a few weeks. I really wanted to love it.

Several of Guerlain’s most beautiful fragrances have an opening that might put impatient noses off--Shalimar and Habit Rouge come first to mind--so I tried to keep my patience after the screeching tuberose-gardenia opening of Bagatelle, hoping it might mellow into another softly enchanting Guerlain scent.

That never quite happened with Jardins de Bagatelle. The bergamot-lemon blast that opens Guerlain’s rightfully hallowed flagship eventually fades to reveal all the deep smoky vanilla-iris-leather that is unmistakably Shalimar. Jardins de Bagatelle just keeps screaming these nearly headache inducing white flowers at me, like some sort of deranged bridezilla who can’t find the right tea lights for the reception tables.

It’s entirely possible that I don’t like white florals as much as I thought I would. I have smelled tuberose and enjoyed it (Madonna’s Truth or Dare, a Fracas tribute, I’m told,); I have smelled Jasmine and enjoyed it (Mugler’s Alien); I have smelled gardenias in bloom throughout my life and found them heavenly. Perhaps it is all of these white flowers, in such abundance and with such strength that I don’t agree with.

Jardins De Bagatelle is certainly a flower power scent. White flowers with a V-8 HEMI engine. Perhaps it’s just too much of too many good things for me.

WHACK! I just got whacked with Ylang-ylang. Ouch. Pure YY. It's sweet/plasticy and potent.

But now ten minutes later.... there is a bit of powder... a bit of spice/herbs. Some rose and something musty. (Musty is not a bad smell IMO when it comes to Guerlain. That perfect old fashioned "dust"-- transforms me to a different time/era when I wear it). Oh boy... it's almost that dill pickle the person below me talked about! LOL! There is something herbal... and it does remind me of Champs-Elysses- which I have in the EDP and adore the almond notes.

I'm not a floral fan... but I aim to own every Guerlain available today. Haha.
I'm not sure I like this... but I'll play with it. I have the most fun layering Guerlains... so maybe this needs a citrus/powder boost like Chant D'Aromes or L'HB? Mitsouko or Shalimar? Eau de Guerlain?

This would be something I'd wear in a casual/happy/spring/summer environment. When I'm too shy for crazy powerhouses like Shalimar or Black Orchid. It's a floral-bomb but I don't think it's offensive.

Mmmmm.... now a hint of that Guerlainade powder. And the gardenia/tuberose. Nice. I will have fun with this. :)

With a proper skin/clothing wear.... this is enjoyable, but overwhelmingly floral. (which is not a shock) It's sweet and kinda waxy, def a bright happy yellow floral. Not my thing really.... I kept hoping for some Guerlainaide or spice.... or heavier on the aldehydes and citrus. But just floral.
I was heavy handed with the EDP sprays, and after a few hours, I put on one squirt of Mitsouko EDP.... and loved it!! HAHA! Mitsouko added a much needed depth/darkness... adding a peachy powder moss/musk-- which gave the florals of JdB more character/depth/layers. And also made Mit much more enjoyable to me.

Yes I'm a man and... Yes I wear this materpiece by Guerlain... A flower bomb, rich, elegant and timeless... Jasmine, tuberose and narcissus rule... And around them, musk, oakmoss, cedarwood and something else almost sweet but not too much. I usually layer it with vetiver by guerlain or with some strong patchouly (like that one by Santa Maria Novella) and the result is a dirty, earthy and deep floral bouquet... The light and the dark... The Yin and the Yang.

Admittedly I skimmed -- but it's important to note this perfume was REFORMULATED! I'm gathering early in the 2000nds.
You can tell who's smelling the old and who is smelling the new right here in these comments. I adored it in 1990. It was a very sweet starter perfume (as sweet as Brandy - another perfume I'd call a starter even though I wear it regularly) A step above Tinkerbell, but not cheap smelling like all the celebrity perfumes around these days. I just sprang for an oz expecting my 14 year old would abscond the bottle -- to my shock it was a totally different perfume. Like they forced my dear sweet floral into a weird kind of woodsy place it really didn't quite fit into. I can tell who wrote their review here based on reading the reviews of the past - none to kind to my dear perfume. I'm stuck with it now -- it smells like old school perfume for certain -- to me it smells like someone who feels very sophistocated said "Dear god, DO something with this syrupy mess" so it's rather disjointed. Like trying to fix an overly sweet recipe with some sour, some bitter --- trying to cut the overpowering sweet. I can keep using it but i'm incredibly sad I will never smell my old friend - she tried to grow up and in the process, she's lost all her charm.

This has a classic '80 aura around it. Must be the aldehydes-white floral combo. Personally I can't wear this long enough to get to the base, let alone wear it several times to thouroughly test it. I am a sucker for tuberose, but Jardins de Bagatelle is too sharp, white-floral and metallic on me. There is some sweetness in the opening, maybe it's the sweet aspect of tuberose or ylang-ylang already kicking in. But within minutes it is lost on my skin.

I might revisit this in the full heat of summer, as I don't find the sharpness combining very well with the chill that can still be around in spring.

80s floral: Paris + Poeme with a dash of Giorgio.... warm, sunny, happy. I like it a lot! Blind buy based on reviews here, and I am not disappointed!

Very confident floral so a little goes a long way. It reminds me of tropical or exotic flowers in a way with a hint to spiciness. It dries down to a lovely rounded soft floral with calming musk notes. Yummy.

My first "expensive" fragrance about 25 years ago. I have the vintage EDP. One of my favorite Guerlains and scents in the world. No distinct notes. All blend into a musky, floral, aldehyde bomb that is rich, powerful, sexy for a strong woman. This is not a chypre or bitter. It is spicy and rich.

Oh, Jardins de Bagatelle, you heart-breaker, you. I thought I would love the abundance of white florals, ylang ylang and aldehydes, but it's just a confused mess on my skin. It goes to show you can't judge a perfume by its notes.

When it comes to enormous white florals, I find Fracas a much purer interpretation. Its tuberose overdose is instantly captivating. JdB, by comparison, is ill-defined and ultimately unmemorable.

A rare disappointment from Jean-Paul Guerlain.

I'm not normally a 'white flowers' fan but I do love the classic Guerlains, and there's something very 'Guerlain' about this creamy, complex scent. It's a little too heady and full-on floral for my taste, but it smells very expensive and glamorous without seeming simplistic. It smells more like a boutique perfume than a mass-market scent.

Hats off to Monsieur Guerlain. And for starters, the Guerlain classics are exactly that. As another writer says. Gold Standard. Modern blends.. I dont know ..but the Guerlain vintages are ALL good. Some may or may not to one´s liking but they are all quality. Most are even great.

This one is WOW....If perfumes were children, Jardins de Bagatelle would be the youngest cutest child of the family, gorgeous fresh vibrant young...and a little naughty or tricky.

Flowers, lots of flowers. White flowers spring forth in stages. If this perfume were earrings, they would be two carat champagne diamond drops in yellow gold. Classic, but fresh and with an unexpected twist.

White flower lovers will like this one.

Totally unusual. A strange, rather indescribable note in this, that makes it very seductive. I am very attracted to this. Great longevity.

To my nose this perfume is most like 'The Fragrance' by Bill Blass; it is however a superior version and less cloying. The jasmine in it is very similar to Badgely Mischa's "Fleurs de Nuit"

I purchased this perfume to round out my Guerlain classic collection, and a flickering hope of a Tuberose dominant perfume that I might enjoy. There is a masculine undertow in JdB that I revel in, girlie white florals are not my bag, but Annick Goutal's "Songes" (Dreams) is one that I turn to often, so this proves I can have my head turned by a Southern Belle fragrance.

I bought JdB in EDP form at a very good price from an online discounter, and wouldn't have paid boutique prices for it. Some have compared it to Estee's "Beautiful' and YSL's "Paris" but I will point to more refined version of Vanderbilt and Bill Blass. Heady White floral with a sandalwood masculine base.

Jardins de Bagatelle was Guerlain’s tribute to the grand frivolity of a French imperial pursuit. Introduced in 1983, Jean-Paul Guerlain’s inspiration came from the garden found within the 18th century Château de Bagatelle tucked away in the Bois de Boulogne, in the XVIe arrondissement of Paris. The rhythm of the fragrance was inspired by Goyescas, written by Spanish composer Enrique Granados.

It's twisted, mangled and disharmonious but it's a masterpiece. Words do not exist that can encompass my love for this fragrance.

It opens with violet and classic aldehydes, caressed by lemon and bergamot. Then true to the Goyescas, a cannonade of white florals. Blooming orange blossom, gardenia, tuberose, magnolia, ylang-ylang, rose, orchid, narcissus embraced by the ever beautiful lily-of-the-valley.

An elegant, sophisticated and classic perfume. A true masterpiece.

Moderate-heavy silage with outstanding longevity.

A muddled, strangled masterpiece. Like listening to Wagner through a wall. Like that magic trick where the wand turns into a bouquet of flowers except the flowers are real and they want to eat you. I love aldehydic perfumes, but his one is like "Yeah, throw some aldehydes in there, why not?" A gilded lily, and a gilded rose, and a gilded jasmine...

I've been playing the vintage game for a while now, so I have a much better idea of what I like and what I am looking for. I know I will continue hunt down obscure scents just to try them, but I've realized that what I seek above all is the quality of the perfumes released by the great houses back in the olden days. Even relatively unsung vintage Guerlains are better than most of what is currently being made, which brings me to Jardins de Bagatelle. I don't know why I finally ordered a bottle of this, but after some internal debate (hmm, Monsieur Guerlain likes the vintage EDP...) I went for the vintage EDT with the smoked plastic cap. I adore it. I must say that anyone who thinks of JdB as a loud 1980's scent probably did not spray on original Poison and Coco EDP's with wild abandon back in the day, as I did. Vintage JdB EDT is sunny and translucent. It's a wonderfully full bodied and long lasting mixed floral with an elegant base of woods and resins, like a gorgeous and beautifully composed springtime bouquet set on top of a waxed marquetry table. As you wear it, different notes shimmer to the fore...a tangy bergamot opening, beautiful neroli and LOTV, a waft of rose, dry and delightful vetiver, a bit of sweetness from tonka. JdB is shaded greener than most Guerlains and does not resolve into the usual vanilla-laced Guerlinade, which is a nice change, in my opinion. No "screech" and very little tuberose in the vintage EDT to my nose, and, once again, I wonder if reformulation is the explanation for the widely divergent opinions here.

I wanted to add to my previous review, it is nothing like Fracas which is overpowering tuberose, all the way. As well, it is neither soapy, powdery, nor sweet.

In the 80's I found my signature scent, Jardins de Bagatelle. It was probably a bit mature for me then, but I loved it! It was my first experience of being intoxicated by a perfume! It has remained my favorite, it is my gold standard that I weigh all other perfumes by. It is the most floral scent that you can imagine, a heady bouquet.

The opening is aldehyde which almost immediately just opens the flower buds, releasing their notes. Everyone will smell you, no doubt, but the main thing is, you can smell yourself, because you love it and want to be transported by this heady bouquet and imagine you are walking in a garden all day. The dry down is spicy, not sweet. And it will be with you all day, with a hint still there at the end of the day.

If you like this, I would say you would also like Pink by Victoria Secret, Anais Anais by Cacharelle, and Quelques Fleurs by Houbigant. I would say these are Florientals - floral but spicy. I haven't smelled the recent reformulations of JDB so I can't comment. If you can find the older formulations, on EBay for instance, with the smoky gray cap in the gold and black box, you will not be sorry!

All was said so I'll just add: I adore its drydown, especially on fabric.

The white florals are very sweet and heady but the aldehyde is very sharp. Really interferes with the composition. Also some bitter citrus isn't helping. I wish the white florals were left alone to shine but some of the other notes are very distracting.

As a passionate jasmine, tuberose and white floral lover, i had to try this. But at the Guerlain counter i was disappointed! Jdb smelled like a bad version of Giorgio Beverly Hills! So i kept my cash. Then, one night i snagged a vintage mini. OMG!!! Two completely different perfumes! The vintage smelled incredibly rich, sweet and complex. In fact it smelled so perfect that i didnt dare put it on my skin...it really smelt like heaven! Intoxicating, exhilarating, spellbinding. Sadly i know it is full of now-banned ingedients. But damn, that is what made perfumes so amazing! Todays weak, watered down offerings cant hold a candle to the powerhouses of the 80's. Long live the vintages! In short- dont bother with today's version. Find a vintage- you wont regret it.

A very weird perfume! A love it or hate it fragrance!!!!
I love it!!!!! It's like passing by an elegant garden in the center of paris in spring!!!!!
Spray it on your wrist and as the time goes by,strange flowers will start to bloom!!!!
Beware don't wear this during spring time I swear last spring I wore it bumblebees where
Flying around me trying to reach the perfume's pollen!!!!
It's very strong, kind of intoxicating!!! And some skins cannot react well with its acidity! I hope that it works for you! And be on the lucky side enjoying the strongest multi floral smell available!!!! Many tried to copy this luxurious perfume! But failed !! it's something in the core of its structure that binds those extreme flower layers resulting to a well combined goodness! Don't be fooled that old ladies tend to choose this perfume!!!! I m sure they know better!'nnm after all, if it does the trick age has nothing to do with perfume!!!!! Every Guerlain creation is a masterpiece

Thanks
G.

Bagatelle is a luminous woody floral. Radiant because of the neroli and citrus oils that Guerlain does so well, woody curtesy of cedar and vetiver, and floral, well floral because.

The opening is one of the most glorious citrus openings I've ever encountered in a fragrance. Mostly because of the neroli that seems to cut the sweetness that is typical in such a heavy floral composition. There's a nanosecond of Fracas, a nanosecond of Herrera classic and then they both leave so that Bagatelle can show its true colors.
A tuberose rich heart, with gardenia noticeable too, orange blossom and magnolia, which lends its unmistakeable sweetness, in the same way it sweetens up Mito by Vero Kern.

As hard as it is to believe, the heart feels anything but cloying. It doesn't have the buttery feel of Fracas, nor the come hither excess of Poison, but instead it showcases the white florals in a sort of cologne way. When launched, Bagatelle was conceived as a bright and sparkling edt, so even though it's diffusive and long lasting, the aldehydes along with the citrus showcase the more innocent side of this garden. It's powerful alright, but with a joie de vivre.

The woody drydown is lovely, as my skin tends to showcase the vetiver, along with a delicate but not clean musk. Many guys who love big white florals, but are kind of hesitant to use something like the aforementioned ones, have a good chance of liking Bagatelle as is decidedly woodier without losing the narcotic effect that tuberose and the like have.

In a way, it doesn't feel Guerlain-ish. There's a big departure from the earlier scents of the house, but when you smell the entire evolution of the fragrance, you notice that even though the heavy nature of an 80's white floral has not been reduced, as that would be both impossible and sinful, the airyness of the whole composition screams elegance. It feels like the lemon meringue airyness that would later appear in Shalimar Legere. Take the 80's and infuse some table manners, and you get Jardins de Bagatelle. Guerlain can't do cheap and trashy even if they wanted to. Instead, they bring their answer to the fashionable powerhouses of the decade, in this 1983 creation that somehow remained hidden among the Samsaras, the Shalimars and the Mitsoukos, passing mostly unnoticed as my 2007 bottle, bought in the busiest department store of Madrid in 2015, shows. It has its fans, but I don't think there are too many. I just hope it doesn't get axed in favor of more gourmands. The new packaging is a good decision, if it means it's staying, but I'm not sure how that one smells.

Don't give up the chance to give it a try next time you see it. It's an under the radar Guerlain that has a lot to offer.

My vintage sample is most certainly the scent of joyousness!

Rich with violets and roses, Jardin de Bagatelle envisions a heady melange of floral sunshine.

If it were a color, it would be golden peach.....

I think my bottle has gone a little bad because what I smell is slightly different from what I'm reading in everyone's reviews. It's a bottle from a friend's mother who gave me her partially used sampler package of Guerlain perfumes that she had from 20 years ago. But I noticed that the Samsara even didn't smell quite right from what I remember.

When I first put on Jardins de Bagatelle I get mostly a powdery tuberose, along with jasmine, ylang-ylang, orange blossom, and a hint of spicy vetiver. It's quite beautiful, but as the dry down occurs a wildly vivacious vetiver takes front and center stage as the orange blossom and ylang-ylang fade away leaving tuberose and jasmine as back up dancers. After a couple of hours the jasmine and vetiver melt together into a light, creamy skin scent.

I really like this, it's probably more of a chypre floral but the woodiness really stands out to me. I feel as if I'm not getting the full thrill of what this perfume should be. I'll have to go online, buy a sample for comparison, then write another review.

As someone who isn’t big on white florals, I’m surprised by how much I like JdB. I was expecting it to be bold and brash but it’s actually very elegant and complex, yet I can still pick out some of the individual flowers that make up this fragrance. It comes across as subdued compared to stereotypical 80s fragrances. I can sense some slight fruitness but beyond that it’s almost purely floral to my nose, sort of refreshing amongst all the vanillic, gourmand, and/or powdery perfumes I gravitate towards.

Another scent that I've been missing all of my life! Where have you been- sweet tuberose with and underlay of white musk, you have fallen from the heavens. Just beautiful!! I don't know which I love more, Fracas or Jardins de Bagatelle.

It's funny- in the bottle this smells just like chardonnay, something with peaches, or nectarines, and a touch of citrus.

On the skin JdB opens with heady, romantic, sweeping orange blossom, crisp, waxy, perfumey, and thick. In the heart, bitter narcissus makes an appearance, sweetly spicy (slightly oily) ylang ylang, and cedar grounding the top note. In the dry down I get the faintest touch of tuberose and jasmine, vetiver, bergamot, and patch round out the scent.

This is floral lovers' heaven! Seriously, you know how it seems like white florals all smell alike? Ditto for yellow florals? This has both, is completely different, and if you love florals, this is the headiest, most remarkable scent you will encounter. Just amazing. TRY IT!

First wore this frag about 20 years ago. I bought it because I wanted something from Guerlain and I couldn't get my head around the other frags that they had at the time. (I have learned since then to give scents time to evolve on skin before jumping to conclusions.)

A few weeks ago, I had a sniff of Jardins de Bagatelle on a blotter, for old times sake. I had forgotten how fabulous she was. Purchased immediately.

Today I had a spritz of this frag and oh my! Things have changed a bit and I detect nuances in scent that I wasn't aware of 20 years ago.

First thing I picked up was the smell of fresh corn.....like when it is picked out of the field and cooked right away....when you peel the husk off. (Have never seen that listed as a top note :) )
I guess that would be summed as sweet but tart? A bit starchy? Maybe that is how my brain registers cedar mixed with white flowers?

Then, those big flowers do their thing. Today was a very warm day so I should have known better than to put such a big queen of a frag on. I forgot how powerful she is. Too much of a good thing today. I was very conscious of projecting JdB as I walked around. Hope I didn't upset anyone. This definitely a frag to wear with caution and in the cooler months. I will love her in winter.

Edit
Nov 2015 - tried again and I can't seem to wear this frag anymore. Another lesson learned, just because a fragrance smelt good on ones skin 20 years ago, and still smells divine on a blotter, does not mean one should just go ahead a purchase it.

love this.
floral heaven from top to bottom.
beautiful.
jasmin.
fresh.
definitely a Guerlain.
voluptuous.
perhaps even a fine vintage.
and the BEST of all the white florals i have tried, which can either make me feel nauseous with their intensity or remind me of nasty fabric conditioner.

i bought an untouched vintage EDP sample on eBay recently, out of curiosity and now an EDT from 2009.
both are lovely and if i'm easy on the dab (EDP), they smell very alike.

i was a teenager in the 80's and i can't remember smelling anything like this. ?. this beauty somehow passed me by all these years. but what it does remind me of is the first time smelt Mitsouko, which was only a few weeks ago! they don't smell alike, but they are from the same family.

EDIT: the more i wear this, the more i love it.
for me, it's the soft slightly sweet and powdery vintage guerlinade going on in the base that i obviously none of the other white florals in my collection have. it softens and balances the strong white flowers...making it more warm and curvy.
This perfume should get more credit as a white floral than it appears to receive.

I've been to the real jardins de bagatelle in paris and let me tell you:
those gardens WISH they smelled like this.
this is a very classed up but still loud 80s tuberose shouter. it's not as bold and in your face as poison, giorgio, or amarige. like fracas for the 1980s woman. it still screams at you like the other 80s tuberose monsters but it does so politely, with grace, like a guerlain would.

very rad indeed.

Jardins de bagatelle is very rad. When first sprayed it smells similar to amarige, couture couture, giorgio, with a little but of what reminds me of the filling in jelly donuts. As its sits it starts to turn warmer and starts to remind me of the modern day Halston. A true guerlain classic. It' a shame they didn't come out with more in the 80s.

A very feminine white floral, clearly made from high-quality ingredients. Strong, in the 80s style.

It's very pleasant but not all that distinctive, i.e. not quite what one would expect from a top-flight Guerlain fragrance.

This review is for vintage EdT.

Simply the best white floral scent out there. Ever.

Paris.....my first thought when I smelled this. Very sophisticated, classy and timeless. Definitely a new favourite.

An all time favourite. I've had many bottles of this over the years and never tire of it. I wear it in the colder months as it's heavy and lasts forever with only a couple of sprays. Don't overdo this one as it lingers for so long that even after washing the clothes you had on while wearing it, it still makes its presence felt.

It's a rich mix of floral, spice and oriental, with maybe a touch of green. On me, it doesn't really develop after the initial hit. I'm not complaining, it's gorgeous!

This fragrance is made to be noticed...I've had many favourable comments from both sexes. Reeks of the eighties in a good way.

If you love heady and complex florals you'll adore this.

If they had a category marked "head over heels" this would be one that would be there. Totally in love with this so feminine scent.

lovely Guerlain perfume sans vanilla, definitely worth trying. This Jardins is old fashioned white floral with strong musk making its appearance by the 4th hour and staying strong to the seventh. I don't find this to be the sillage monster others do. I pretty much agree with the breakdown of notes above, and I think this is something of a jasmine musk bomb. the other white flowers are there, and somewhat indolic.

I thought this was a Fracas wannabe, but it isn't. I tried them side by side, and believe it or not, JdB is much more subtle and isn't a true tuberose/gardenia bomb at all. A more modern perfume with what feels like a translucent quality is Lady Million Absolutely Gold, a lovely ultra feminine jasmine bomb without all that musk. They do not smell alike, but they both make me feel like a lovely jasmine queen, and sometimes that's just the thing to make me happy!

For those of you who love jasmine perfumes and lovely white musky florals in general, give this a try. It is old fashioned and feels mature, but it doesn't scream the 1980's the way Poison does! And . . . all women should feel like jasmine queens every now and then!

LYRICAL...

Violet is what I dislike in Jardins de Bagatelle, and that's what rules this fragrance out for me. I was surprised not to see them mentioned here as notes.

When I got home from the Guerlain counter, I found this in my bag. What a nice surprise. Don't even know where to start. While I like some "female" fragrances for myself, I can't see myself wearing this. That being said, I have tested it a couple of times. What a beautiful cluster of floratopia. The sillage is overwhelmingly strong, and my sample was only EDT formulation. I'm not sure about the longevity, but I'm guessing it's not too bad either. I can see how this should be applied lightly, or it would be just too much. Still, this is a very beautiful floral fragrance. Sophisticated, tasteful, refined. This is simply the kind of fragrance you'd love to smell on a beautiful woman passing you by on the street.

Ooh ahhh! What a delightful floral! There's subtle woods and grassiness in the background and they lend just a hint of androgyny. It's not a girly girl fragrance - it's mature, pure class and sophisication. The musk and patchouli give a wonderful depth. I bought a used EDT on eBay and I couldn't be happier. I'll be keeping it in my handbag for a quick spritz now and then. Beautiful!!

Oh God, what can one say of Jardins de Bagatelle? First time I smelled it, I was at a friends' place, and his Mother wore it! I instantly became in love with Bagatelle! I myself wore Guerlain's Vetiver at the time, so it seemed as they were siblings!
So, the first time I had the chance to offer it, I did! And I still have those memories of more than 20 years ago!
As for me smell IS the memory, I couldn't resist to buy it in the Habit de Fête, both in EdP and EdT!
When I'm nostalgic, I just put a tiny bit on the back of my hand, and I'm there again, in the good old days!
In itself, a great classic and classical fragrance!

Aldehydic profusion of flowers, very 1960s, the days of Mad Men. Dated but wonderful.

Wow. Just wow. I stumbled upon a bottle and bought it with no idea of what it was or whether I should like it. The first whiff was a bit terrifying--so huge and overwhelmingly sweet. Then... the flowers began to bloom, singly and in bunches. Within minutes I was grinning like an idiot with my wrist glued to my nose. This is being totally immersed in all the flowers there are--like the scene in the Wizard of Oz where they're surrounded by the poppies. I can call out the individual notes but the important thing is the effect of FLOWERS, more flowers than you thought there could be and you love it. There's a strong resemblance to Apres L'Ondee and I'm guessing that's why this was discontinued--too similar to keep both. This is more exuberant and somehow more fun than my beloved Apres L'Ondee. If you stumble upon some, grab it--even if you don't like it, this is precisely what people mean when they talk about a Guerlain scent.

Sillage--you'll make new friends, 4-5 ft if applied too freely
Longevity--3-4 hours
Fabulosity--Marilyn Monroe singing Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend
Value to price ratio--how do you measure priceless?
10/10

I smelled it a couple of days ago, and was smitten!! It is as much a floral as a woody-bitter perfume, with tremendous character, and therefore belongs to the love-it-or-hate-it group!

I can smell lots of different flowers co-starring with a vetiver-bergamot-cedar combo. It lingers for hours on end on the skin, and goes through many delicious stages before it settles to a greenish-tuberose-gardenia-ylang veil...

Beautiful stuff!! Impressive conception!

This is a bit of a disappointment for me. It's an instant migraine inducer I'm afraid. The top notes are very indolic-I think it must be the jasmine which I prefer to be a little sweeter and fresher. It is an incredibly overpowering scent, typical of the 80s really. Its very odd-L'Heure Bleue and Mitsouko were created 70+ years before Jardins de Bagatelle and yet they are timeless, ageless, and are as perfect today as they must have been back then, but JdB is dated and fusty, and very very 80s-its as outdated as giant Dynasty shoulder pads and legwarmers. I don't find it a joyful floral scent, to me this is a muddy, dark and sinister fragrance, like being trapped in a dark maze between hedgerows covered in heavy lush flowers. Its rich and heady and makes you whirl, but its feminine in a sort of Medusa way. I can imagine Maleficent dabbing this on every day. It dries down to a big burst of tuberose, rather suffocating and overpowering exactly like Fracas. This isn't a scent for quiet people, this is a scent that shouts 'Look at me, I've arrived!' while you fling your fur coat into the corner and down your first glass of champagne.

This is for the vintage EDT:

Such a lovely, joyous smell. A potent brew, packed with flowers and spices. Funny, I think theres is mint in it, honeysuckle as well. But neither of these notes are listed.

Well, it´s fresh and cool, herby and minty. But theres definitely some naughty little creature hiding somewhere in this garden.... ;)

another lovely remembered fragrance

This is an enigma to me. It's like all the strongest smelling flowers dancing in one bottle. The first blast was heady banana-like burst of white florals. Three minutes later, I get a hint of orchid (the way I smell it in Chloe Love), then even later, I get a whiff of sweet pea. 30 minutes later, all the headiness is gone. The floral dance is over and its chypre phase started. I get a whiff of Tresor, Colors de Benetton, and Heno de Pravia soap.

I chanced upon a full sized bottle from 2005 and oh my goodness, this perfume is so potent. I'd say it's interesting but it is definitely not love at first sniff for me.

Unluckily this fragrance is far too indolic for my liking. I used to think it had civet among the basenotes but I do not see it listed, therefore I suppose it must be all the white flowers.
So sad, as I usually love Guerlain's perfumes and it is very disappointing for me to smell dirty toilet in the background of all these beautiful flowers :-/

Another stunning masterpiece from Guerlain but this one is a departure from any other Guerlain fragrance I have used.

Amazing how this true TUBEROSE QUEEN reigns so regally among the flowers of her court. She allows each lovely flower to add to the magic as Queen Tuberose takes her throne.

Guerlain has done it again with taking a heady, intoxicating scent of tuberose & building a perfectly structured fragrance around it. Utter brilliance for tuberose lovers. And with good sillage & longevity, too, of course!

Classy. Romantic. Addictive. Wear with caution. You are BOUND to entice someone!

I just received a lovely bottle of the vintage version. Jardins de Bagatelle smells like money. Ladies you know what I mean. That perfume that just smells expensive and classy. This is Jardins. It actually has a niche quality about it - not a common scent especially in today's world. I get the florals but this turns spice on my skin and creates an entire different richer deeper aroma then when first sprayed. Clinique Elixir does this on me as well. Goes out with much power but after an hour it turns into a lovely deeper scent that just stays with you the entire day.

Once on a flight to Europe, a woman sat beside me in the airplane and I smelled gorgeous perfume. I had to ask what it was : she said Jardins de Bagatelle. i thought that perfume was very old ! But whew, what a nice floral experience. It doesnt slap you on the face, but it does create an impression. Another passenger said it was gorgeous. Love it. When I googled it, of course, it was by an outstanding creator- Jean Paul Guerlain. Doesnt smell like Lou Lou, Fracas, or whatever...FAR from it ! Bought a bottle, gave another bottle to my bestfriend !

I smelled the new formula in EdP and it was so strong!
Mine from 80s was strong indeed but more balanced. The new formula has something more synthetical in it and the flowers seem even more juicy and loaded, but the overall idea is kept, so it could be fine anyway for JdB fans.
I sprayed twice on my wrist and I was totally overwhelmed. It lasted for hours at full power and was almost too much. It would be better to dab.

My first perfume love. In the spring of 1989 I was an american exchange student in Scotland. My textile school took a spring class trip to Paris. All the scottish girls were very sophisticated in terms of beauty and frangrance. My roommates all went to Guerlain the first day in Paris and bought huge bottles of Jardins de Bagatelle. I still remember the large room in the Marais hotel with tons of girlie clothes thrown about on the beds and massive bottles of chic perfume! I purchased a bottle a few years later and it brought back that fabulous spring in Paris, seeing the world for the first time through young eyes. Fresh, beautiful scent; fresh air markets and manicured gardens. This began my long love affair with Guerlain perfumes.

White floral heaven! This was a favorite of mine for years--one of the most feminine scents ever! Lasts like crazy on me--and never ignored!

White floral heaven! This was a favorite of mine for years--one of the most feminine scents ever! Lasts like crazy on me--and never ignored!

very natural and very discrete. it's exactly the same smell of hammams in north africa: really if you never go to a hammam a really traditional one, you have an idea of what it smells.
imagine the fragrance of jardins de bagatelle, in a big large bathroom with marble and just little light, all you have is a cloud of hot steam and you hear the sound of water in backet.
women use black soap (savon noir), ghassoul with cloves,lavender, rose petals water,...
that is the atmosphere of jardins de bagatelle, a very maghrebine fragrance, very natural, clean and innocent.

now this is the type of floral perfume i can literally faint or get severe headaches if i over spray or even smell i wish i didn't spray it but i wanted to review its a jasmine bomb..
those who love jasmine will love this

This is review goes for vintage edt.

Oh my, this is such a beautiful flower explosion! The flower blend is superb, excellent, unbeatable. You can get many notes as it continues to change towards cheerful chypre floral guerlainish dry down. It happily lasts a very long time on my not so easy skin.

In the middle way between 70s and 80s florals but with Guerlain's house extra quality.

I love it. Love it. Love it. Love it.

If you like aldehydes, white flowers, specially gardenia and tuberose; if you like fragrances to evolve and change and surprise you with their different reaction to different weather and skin conditions; if you feel attraction for floral and chypres, give this one a try.

And don't believe everything you read, it has little to do with Fracas, even less with Carnal Flower apart for containing tuberose; neither is it a sillage killer or headache inducing (unless you are one of those which get headaches with real flowers).

At one point I was really worried that I would never be able to get this fragrance since Guerlain decided to discontinue the original bottle. Because of that, my SA at the Guerlain counter was so nice that she gave me a 5ml atomizer filled with JdB for the moment and continued to help me order the fragrance from Paris. I finally got my bottle of JdB Habit de Fete EDP (manufactured in April 2012) yesterday. It was absolutely gorgeous liked the 2008 version that I tried and fell in love with. Although the fragrance is no longer in its original bottle, it is still the fragrance I love and I'm satisfied with what I have now.

Jardins de Bagatelle is human flight made fragrance.
With industry and engineering it raises the floral perfume above its normal terrestrial terrain.

True, some will not like the fact that to be transported thus requires propane, metal moving parts and an indelicate amount of heat.

So be it. To experience the sensation of being suspended as though on a floral cloud, peering down on manicured parkland, this seems a very small price to pay.

Aldehydes unquestionably own the opening.

A little softened by violet they provide the massive lift required to raise the burgeoning flower stuffed envelope of a scent off the ground.

Soon enough it becomes apparent that our basket’s cargo is primarily of white flowers, jasmine and tuberose principally, though there is blossom too and to my nose narcisse and not a little rose.

A complex and highly wrought affair there is an earthiness underneath.

A little vetiver and fir here perhaps, something that hints a return to the ground will always be necessary.

The overall effect is one of a rather beautiful but very much last-century-moderne bouquet wrapped in sparkling cellophane.

It is unfathomably fashionable to dislike this fragrance.

In truth it is an invention out of its time: a hot balloon in an age of jet liners and supersonic aeroplanes.

So much the better for it.

Let others be squashed into their sausage shaped and winged sardine cans.

I will always opt to fly open air.

There can be no more elegant means to ascend florally up, up and away.

******

On the last occasion I checked balloon flights were available to all, but few gentlemen these days seem to have the Montgolfiers’ courage.

I love this perfume and so does my husband every time I wear it. I have 3 bottles as I don't want to run out of this fragrance. Lucky that it's formulated so well that a little goes a long way. It is very elegant still today, will always be a classic for me...... And also very classy.

I wore this briefly in the 90's and really wanted to love it but ran into a little headache inducing problem almost every time...I think it's the tuberose-gardenia combo that overwhelmed me on this one. Too bad because I so loved it just was unable to tolerate it on me.

I had this one at the end of 1990s. And now there is coming another one. Obviously its not the same than it was back then, box is different. But I believe this is equally beautifull. And very much discontinued. People, if You have loved Jardins de Bagatelle, plese hurry to reorder. Soon there is no available classic white floral class bottle. *Hugs*

I don't know about the new reformulated version, but Les Jardins de Bagatelles original version is to me THE emblematic perfume of the 80's. I was a child then, and almost all my older female relatives wore this perfume. Along with Shalimar, Les Jardins de Bagatelles is one of my very first olfactive memories and it's full of nostalgia. It's a true posh flowery perfume, opulent with an amazing sillage. It's heady and has strong personality without ever being obnoxious, to be worn by equally strong women. It's a unique composition with a deep feminine complexity. I love it.

Forse sarò l'unica a non essere entusiasta di questa fragranza, ma sulla mia pelle dopo l'iniziale esplosione floreale lascia un sentore di cenere e fumo. L'avevo acquistata a scatola chiusa dopo averne sentito dire meraviglie e devo ammettere che è stato il mio peggior acquisto in fatto di profumi.

This is to me by far the nicest of all olf Guerlain scents. Although different, it does remind me a lot of Aqua di Gio, without making me think of rotten flower jar water, as Aqua di Gio does. I do find Jardins de Bagatelle very pleasant, unlike practically all old guerlain scents,in part I think for not smelling of those balsams at Guerlain they liked so much in the past and used in to me a horrible way. I think that trend stopped after Samsara in which they managed to get an also apparently extremely synthetical scent from sandal, Jasmine and Amber. Most of their current fragrances have a much less strong character but to me are much more pleasant, and a completely different type of scent, vanilla sweet (too much for my taste) and floral. I do not know what caused that change of direction. Jardins de Bagatelle is closer to this new line than the other old Guerlain scents.

to my nose it smells like burned milk.Sorry

very outdated

Most of the reviews here are about the vintage JDB. Has anyone anything to say about the reformulated version ? I remember I loved this once, a long time ago and I'd really be thrilled to have it on my shelf again but it's quite expensive and I'd like to know more before emptying my wallet on this one.

I have the pictured bottle, in fact it's my third. I finally found it online last year and am thrilled to own it again. Only 30 mls! But still an unused vintage bottle of JdB. Anyway, we had a crazy warm, rain and thunder and lightning day here in Adelaide and I had to decide which perfume was right because I had to go out. And as you all know, this is very important. Soooo, I found my JdB hiding in my perfume drawer! Now I've realised I'm not as game to wear a big perfume as I used to be. Times have changed and it seems they've changed me. I used to spray this on with reckless abandon. But I need to be sensitive to others. And when you've thought you'll suffocate at the cinema or at work or wherever, because of someone's reckless spraying, you realise this is important. Going to my club meeting tonight I was conscious that my perfume might be a little strong, so I'd sprayed lightly and sat at the back. It's spring and I consider this the perfect time to wear it. I don't want to wear just "office-friendly" fragrances. For me it is just a luxury to be able to wallow in this heavenly scent. I consider it a treasure. I hope everyone here has a few fragrances they treasure. It might be a small thing, but perfume really can add a little sparkle to life's dull moments.
Like to add that if you click on tuberose and scroll down you'll find an EXCELLENT article! C'est Moi by Etienne Aigner reminds me of this so much, if that helps anyone, it's also a rich and heady garden of delights! And I'm happy to visit it alone if no-one else wants to come along.

I think you need to be both a tuberose and gardenia fan to cope with this one. The notes of both flowers are strong and dominant and flavour the whole accord from start to finish. Luckily the tuberose is not the headache-inducing sort and is quite tasteful and refined in the way it makes itself known. The fragrance is fairly linear, and one-dimensional, I never really noticed it morph into something multi-dimensional, it was more like being presented a big, pretty tuberose and gardenia bouquet mix and it remaining that way. I can imagine it being a nice addition to sitting in a back garden in summer in a white dress sipping tonic water and lemon spritz...or something stronger.
edit: I notice that tuberose is in BOTH the middle AND base notes! As a backseat perfume critic I might be bold enough to say that I think that the scent would have been better to remove the tuberose from the base notes so it would be allowed to drift or "morph" into something a little different and more mellow. Just my humble opinion.

It is said that Jean-Paul Guerlain got his inspiration for Jardins de Bagatelle from the garden of the same name located on the edge of the Bois de Bologne in Paris. Jardins de Bagatelle in Paris is the garden known to Parisians for the (over) 700 different species of roses.
So, is this a rose garden in a bottle? Does it smell strong or is this a well behaved close to the skin Lady? Well, when he created this in 1983 it was the decade of modern decadence in perfumery, everything was loud and heavy, no serene, demure fragrance, no, rather strong and powerful scents that greeted you with a big embrace and still said goodbye long after the wearer was gone.
Too much? Perhaps, but, I have a penchant for certain 80s scents and this character trade is loveable in many of them, true, it's not everyones cup of tea, but I think that there is a time and a place were most of us want a scent that makes a big statement, where we are fatigued of 'working floor demure scents' and 'hardly there close to the skin apparitions of smell'.
With that in mind I can say that JdB is a true 80s floral. A powerhouse that needs the right people to love it and the right place to shine:

Loud gardenia and tuberoses drenched in violets open up on my skin after the first spray, this is the moment you know if your hand was heavy, too much and you might feel overwhelmed, just enough and you are surrounded with a scent that reminds me of evenings in Paris where Maxime's was in full swing and the place to be; and perfumes were heavy and intoxicating.
In the distance a blooming magnolia note accompanied by a stubborn jasmine that is (at least on my skin) flirting with a cedar note. Then, a soapy neroli note comes and adds to the sultry and powdery dry-down that changes the vibe of JdB into something reminiscent of an older classic: Houbigant's Quelques Fleurs (my grandmothers favourite.) The vibe of JdB will change throughout the whole time it's on your skin. It is a chameleon of moods and somehow seems to 'rearrange' its notes. It's quite odd yet never boring!

Do I love this? Yes, when in the right mood this modern classic is one of a kind and a hothouse of precious florals. Luxurious, rich and a 'love me or hate me scent'. A unique and quite obscure Guerlain and a must sniff for all who like scents in the vein of: Fraca's, Quelques Fleurs and white florals mixed with roses in general.

Silage is: "I am here, but, you knew that already". -- Longevity is a good 10+ hours.

The perfect original scent for a night out in a big city where you don't want to be drowned out. This Parisian garden will bloom best on your skin during the colder months. Try it and smell a not so well behaved Parisian lady who likes to upstage the other guests and leaves a trail of white florals with a musky PS when she leaves. Enjoy! : )

Must have this again - even though I liked the perfumed body lotion better as it was more subtle and mascukine for me. I got complimented by girls and ladies all the time for my masculine fragrance.

This is one of those perfumes where if sprayed a little on pulse points and then spray another brand EDT all over the body it will smell really good and totally unique.
It never fails me

I love guerlain, but I just sampled a vintage end of bottle I won for peanuts on eBay, just because. And.... It confirmed that I really cannot cannot do white florals Jasmine etc. I've given it a decent amount of time, but for me it's a bit of a scrubber. It smells just like a body lotion I once had. Sorry.

WOW and GOSH! And that's all I can say at the moment after having iit on my wrist for 20 mins......it is VERY potent...will review later after my head stopped spinning lol

Ok so here goes, I have sprayed this on my wrist and on a piece of clothing. After 7 hours no scent left on my wrist and faint floral scent on clothes.
The actual perfume is very complex and complicated. After the initial 'Oh my goodness, what is this???' I get quite heavy jasmine followed by gardenia. Thereafter different flowers seem to be popping up but overall the scent is like a walk through a very posh english estate garden on a hot sunny day. It is quite heady and intoxicating and not really
Iike anythng I have smelt before.
Strangely the drydown reminds me a bit of Moments by Priscilla Presley...my favourite perfume in my 20s...but I would't say this perfume is suited for a young girl. On the contrary, this is one of those perfumes like Chanel...one off, strangely unusual, classy and best used for special occassions.

"Iivanita" its Nothing like carnal flower or fracas! It's very old fashioned kind of smell, there is a kind of white floral with soapy, musky/woody dry down, but a very aldehyde. Try it at Guerlain counter department stores!

Just got it a week ago online based on the good feelings i remembered from the test paper. but it is truely disappointing when it is on the skin. yes, it does smell like a bunch of nice flowers but with no staying power and it smells like from older generation. i will spray it at spring, summer days when go to work but definitely nothing special that you will remember it if u place it among with other collections of perfume in your warbrobe. I wouldnt recommend anyone to buy if without testing on skin and def dun buy if you think it is expensive, not worth it.

can anyone help on this? how is it compared to fracas? and carnal flower?
i am afraid from fracas casue it has oakmoss it makes the parfume too strong for my sensitive nose :) hehe, many thanks!

The most disappointing Guerlain I have ever encountered! Perhaps my mini was a reformulated version because all the reviewers here, particularly those who kept their bottles from the 1980s, seem to rave about this one.
There's nothing wrong with the actual scent but it reminded me too much of household cleaners and lavatory disinfectant. Probably the same pre-composed chemical accords make up both these products? Can one really blame a perfume if the same formula is used for furniture polish or oven-cleaner?

OMG! I smelled this yesterday and today from an old sample from the '80s while clearing my old stash of samples and mini and I had such a good feeling from it that I was almost brought to tears! I'm a little bit obsessed with perfumes, I know...
Almost all my old stuff from the '80s were too old and evaporated or ruined, even if I kept them sealed and in a dark place. I sent all to trash.
Jardins de Bagatelle was as pure and fresh as it was.
And what an incredible, lovely, intense yet balanced floral it is! When Guerlain did not waterdown its perfumes and didn't change raw material for less quality perfumes smelled like this!
I didn't try the new version because this is one of the Guerlains that totally disappeared from Italian market. Only one official small counter in Milan still carries a few oldies. The beautiful one brand shop was closed many years ago.
Now only newest Guerlains are barely kept in perfume stores and 90% of SA don't even know that Guerlain made perfumes called Jardins de Bagatelle, L'Heure Bleue, Nahema...
Jardins de Bagatelle is an absolute must-try for any floral lover, especially for tuberose, but it is much more than plain tuberose. It's like walking in a sunny garden full of big thick white flowers and feeling completely enveloped in their perfume.
This is a masterpiece! It lasted all night on my skin till the morning after and only dabbed 2 drops!
Dabbing is probably the best whey to enjoy these old Guerlains. I agree with those who think that spraying brings out more aldehydes.
I love the initial very gentle burst of bergamot always together with flowers.
I love the fact the flowers stays on my skin throught the whole evolution of the scent. The drydown is not merely your usual stiff sandalwood (chemical) plus some vanillin thrown for good measure.
Flowers are there till the ned and they seem to chant!
JdB is a happy scent with a knowing attitude. Not a soft, faint, girlish floral, not even a grand dame in old velvet. JdB is happy, strong and full of secret sensuality which is not dependent on sexy clichè, rather a personal attitude out of schemes.

The best refined tuberose scent I know about. If you dab the EdP, you get a beautiful creamy tuberose and floral clean scent, if you spray it, you get first strong aldehydic smell and then this beautiful tuberose. It is a deep, bold and loud fragrance with excellent silage and excellent longevity. Perfect for day, spring, fall and winter. For summer it is maybe too deep.

Released at the same time as YSL Paris, this big floral gem was lost in the shuffle. I had all of the makings of a blockbuster. It ended up just "the latest Guerlain". It is frankly one of the best florals from Guerlain with not one but several flowers in the centerpiece. It is a dense fairy garden(s) filled with so many flowers. Oddly, the Guerlainade is missing.

The flowers just keep developing for hours. It has a southern appeal. A vacation in Florida or the Mediterranean come to mind. Gardenia, magnolia, tuberose and neroli all play a larger than imagined role. Rose is there, but only has a supporting role. The longevity is a good 12 hours with a soft chypre closing. Altogether, an epic drama! It is pure flora-therepy.

Someone said this is the overlooked Guerlain. I didn't realise. For me it's THE Guerlain. Perhaps because I found it in my teens in the 80's at a time when I discovered the wonders of the perfume counter!!!! It has always had me. I haven't owned it for a while because its price, like its quality, is high (so I've been stalking a few bottles on eBay).

No matter how many years pass, if I see a Guerlain counter & I'm not wearing fragrance I try some on, & I never fail to be transported to my secret garden. This isn't one of my passing infatuations.

Edit:Feb 2012. A bottle arrived in time for Christmas all the way from Italy. The very same as my first bottle. Someone had a perfume stash, thank goodness.

for a vintage this smells pretty good! not over dated or rancy at all! its a nice floral.,

Oh wow, how did I miss this beauty before? It's a marvelous floral, full of rich, feminine and queen-like white flowers in a wonderful bouquet or "jardin" of many flowers. I do not get adelhyde and it is not soapy on me, thanks god, as I do not like smelling like soap. Instead I get this alluring, seductive, a bit powdery smell of flowers which reminds me of being in garden at the summertime when all of them bloom.

I think this would be a pefect wedding perfume. Lovely. This wonder should be on my shelf right next to other creation by Guerlain which I adore - Mitsouko.

After wondering around fragrances for twenty years, I have found my signature scent. I am twenty-one.

I happened upon this fragrance when my mother bought it out of a whim. I had glanced at the notes, gave it a go, then stored it away on my shelves. Later, I went to buy my mother HER signature scent, Vol de Nuit, for Christmas. The lady behind the Guerlain counter asked if I wished a sample for myself.

"I don't know. I don't like heavy, musky smells."

"How about this one?"

She brought out Jardins de Bagatelle. I had told her that I already possessed the fragrance, but she gave me a spritz anyway, telling me that she "just knew I'd love it".

The fragrance, evidently, is "me"; many of my friends have informed me thus. They've never told me that it reminds them of an old lady, and I certainly don't dress like one, so the age reflected by the scent is probably the discrepancy between the wearer and the scent itself.

In my opinion, Jardins de Bagatelle has a multiple personality disorder.
It wants to be too many perfumes at once. A shapeshifter, it does not know what it wants - to charm, to puzzle, to impress or to bewilder? Starts with awesome bunch of pure white florals with rose and gardenia dominating ( YSL`s Paris came to mind), then decides to appeal to your gourmand side with it`s peachy-like, creamy personality with an earthy edge (Tresor edp?). My favorite part of it ended to be the dry down, when the perfume "settled" and became poised and calm - still holding the banner of white florals up high.

Dearest kastehelmi, I got to try the EDP, and I'd send you some if I could - unfortunately, I had to resort to stealing a dab from my mom's vintage mini...

Anyway, your guess was dead on: IMMEDIATELY after application, and all the way through, the EDP is all about the base (maybe not so much about the tuberose). Though every note listed in the base is detectable, it all comes down to one really strong number - the neroli (I was surprised too - expected way more patchouli). The tuberose is just lovely here (I hate it usually) - just a melting, unifying creaminess, never dominating. Other flowers never really happen, except as a suggestion. Strangely modern- not musty or dirty at all, and the aldehydes disappear without a soapy trace pretty quickly. Pretty unisex, too.

Jardins de Bagatelle appears to be the perfect white floral, and indeed it has been composed well.

This fragrance opens with a rich, powdery bouquet of jasmine, tuberose, gardenia, white rose and lily of the valley. It's all innocent, creamy and beautiful.

I was delighting in this fragrance for quite some time, appreciating the beauty of a well-done white floral but also knowing that I'd never wear it in my youthful years, due to its refined and classic appeal. Jardins de Bagatelle is a far better representation of white florals than Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Kai or Annick Goutal's Gardenia Passion.

I was ready to place this fragrance in the category of some of the best florals I've had the privilege to smell, when I noted a strong, dry vetiver accord that didn't mesh well with my chemistry.

Unfortunately all that flowery creaminess had vanished, leaving me with a masculine, soapy and unremarkable vetiver and musk blend. For some they have been able to smell the patchouli, violet and rich woods, however it looks like I got the bad end of the stick.

Despite the drydown being a drawback, the moments leading up to it was absolutely, exquisitely beautiful. The way I see it, although I can not wear this fragrance myself, I will certainly appreciate it on those who can.

Oh Catbiscuit--please try JdB again, in vintage form if possible. This reminds me of my beloved Chamade, with two differences: one, it is not green when first applied (though it does have an undeniable freshness in its topnotes), and two, it has a luscious rosiness in its heart that is just a joy to experience. A third difference is that it is more linear than Chamade, but the rosiness is so appealing that I don't mind.
In short, I just used up a vintage mini which I put into an atomizer a couple of weeks ago, and I am jonesin' for more. This is an often overlooked Guerlain, and an underrated one too. Don't belive the hype.

Maybe I got a degraded sample but this just smelt gross to me. The most apt word to describe it is fetid. Like rotting vegetation.

I would number it amongst the top 3 worst perfumes I have had the displeasure to sample. I washed it off before it could dig its wicked little roots into my soul.

This fragrance smells like a huge blossoming magnolia tree!

It is very beautiful, one of the prettiest florals ever in my opinion, but the aldehydes make it impossible for me to wear it :/

It is incredibly longlasting- after over twelve hours and a shower, I still get a faint skinscent on my wrist.

For my birthday I took a trip to an independent perfume store with many choices. We talked about historic perfumes, tried a couple of things on my partner, and then she asked me, "What kind of perfume do you like?" All of a sudden I became shy and muttered, "floral." She opened up a bottle of Houbigant Quelques Fleurs Originale and I inhaled a familiar smell of a giant flower bouquet. "This turns into a tobacco leaf on me," I said. She didn't believe me, but I applied and boy it did.

I was transported back to that place and that experience when I put on Jardins de Bagatelle. It started very similarly, like a big bouquet of flowers. For a moment I thought that tobacco leaf will appear right away. It did not. It stayed a fresh giant bouquet of flowers for many hours. At one point tuberose (or whatever Fracas is made of) dominated the composition, but then it get back to a bouquet. It lasted impressive 5+ hours from a tiny spritz on my hand. I'll be revisiting Jardins de Bagatelle quite soon, I'm sure.

P.S. I revisited, sprayed more liberally and was reminded of Quelques Fleurs even more!

So much tuberose!It is similar to Fracas,but much,much better!The tuberose is much more thicker and more buttery.Seductive

I think other reviewers have described this one very well (Sherapop, what a great description!) I only want to add that it has a great staying power (I have the EDP). I think it's appropriate for all occasions (I think it's great for work), and also all year around. As others have mentionned, it's a good balance between clean and seductive... very classy without being overwhelming. To me, ladies of every age could wear Jardins de bagatelle. I love it, my new favorite.

Guerlain's JARDINS DE BAGATELLE is an extraordinary perfume, constructed like a sonata, with three very distinct movements. To wear this edp is to go on a journey.

I am greeted by a pleasing floral aldehyde opening. I find myself walking through a sunny field of flowers that continue to increase in variety and number as a proceed. Suddenly I find myself entirely covered by flowers of every color and shape! Just when I think that I may succumb, dive into a thick blanket of velvety leaves, the flowers begin to depart, one by one, leaving at the end a deep layer of vetiver, cedar, and neroli, with a touch of patchouli and musk. This darker chypre-like layer stays with me for hours, while the memory of the florals lightly lingers behind.

JARDINS DE BAGATELLE unfolds as three distinct but harmoniously related perfumes. The plural is correct: gardens. I would classify this as:

part 1: floral aldehyde
part 2: floral
part 3 floral chypre

This and Dior Pure Poison are without a doubt my two favorite white florals. This used to be my signature scent years ago when I was trying to stick to one perfume. It is elegant,classy,and still a little sassy. Very romantic,it is perfect for that special occasion when you want to smell womanly. The tuberose is perfect,not cloying at all. In fact all the flowers seem to blend beautifully to create as amazing floral bouquet. The silage is great and a little goes a long way, and is perfect for day or night. This is one of the true Guerlain classics.

It is fantastic! Got it as a teeny ,from my soon to be husband - and i keep coming back to it!
Its floral,tender and so classy . Smells like a elegant buquet of flowers from your florist ,and you can really feel that this is a expensive qualityperfume,not cheap .

Jardins de Bagatelle is a marvellous fragrance. Like a big bouquet of the gardens most beautiful flowers mixed with a few cooling herbs like menthe and basil. Or perhaps a garden after a cooling rain. It is both warm and cool, heady and clear. The aroma from each flower appears in a complete clarity. But then, after a while, something shady evolves from beneath and gives the perfume a more complex and dark character, not liked by everyone. Sexy to others. A challenge to wear I would say, but I'm totally in love.

It does smell of flowers and purity and cleansiness.

But there is more to it...
Classy, refined, promising...

not everybody's piece of cake

I love it!

Ah my darling, Jardins de Bagatelle is hard to describe, joyfull and happy floweryscent with twist. It's just seems so nice and sweet, but it's also quite evil some kinda way, like a beatiful witch in a lost garden, you never know if you are princess or green frog next minute...

It's heady mix of flowers, much of tuberose and it's unique and easy to recognize and can smother innocent passer-bys if using more than sparingly. One of my alltime favourite.