121 days ago, we planted 243 rose bushes together in the Market Garden at Heckfield Estate. At the end of May, we returned to begin the harvest, the first few blooms ready, the rest still on their way.
As with all biodynamic growing, this is a process shaped by rhythm and care. Only a few roses had opened in those early days. We picked what was ready, leaving the rest to develop in their own time. Over the weeks that followed, we returned to the garden to continue the work, always in the morning, always by hand.
The petals were collected gently, then laid flat to dry. Drying allows the petals to hold onto their colour, structure and essential oils, ready for the next stage. Once fully dried, they are sent to be steam distilled. This method uses low-pressure vapour to extract the water-soluble elements of the flower, resulting in rose hydrolat. A soft and fragrant floral water, hydrolat captures both the character and benefits of the rose. It will form the heart of a new Wildsmith formulation, now in development.
Alongside the rose harvest, we gathered lavender from Heckfield’s Estate biodynamic fields. Lavender is harvested at peak bloom, when its oil content is highest and its scent most vivid. These stems will be dried whole and used in macerations and extractions for future treatments.
Working With the Land
At Heckfield Estate, the farm is a living system. Everything grown here follows biodynamic principles. That means working without synthetic fertilisers, without artificial sprays and without pushing the soil beyond its capacity. Instead, planting and harvesting are guided by the lunar calendar, with each cycle designed to support the health of the land and the balance of the wider ecosystem.
This method produces ingredients that are both powerful and deeply connected to place. They hold more than nutrients. They hold the memory of the season and the vitality of the soil they came from. We believe that makes a difference not just in formulation, but in effect.
From the Garden to the Jar
Every harvest becomes part of something larger. Past years brought us calendula and chamomile, now found in our Stillness Nourishing Body Cleanser, Stillness Nourishing Body Butter and Treatment Mists. This year, the rose and lavender will shape the next stage of our treatment development.
Harvesting is more than a step in production. It is a moment to reconnect. To work with our hands. To be present in the cycle of growing and gathering. This is where the process begins, not in the lab but in the field, with the weather, the soil and the people who tend it.
Every part of the journey matters.
