Rhubarb

TOP NOTES: Rhubarb, Grapefruit
MIDDLE NOTE: Wild Rose
BASE NOTES: Santal Accord, Vetiver

Rhubarb's one of those scents that carries a strong sense of place across the prairies. For many people it brings back the garden behind the house, where the first stalks of the season pushed up through the soil each spring.

When I set out to create a rhubarb candle for Farmer’s Son Co., I knew I wanted to approach it differently. Too often rhubarb fragrances lean heavily into sweetness, losing the sharp, green character that makes the plant so distinctive. My goal was to capture the freshness of the garden rather than the dessert.

Growing up, rhubarb and prairie roses were always side by side in our garden on the farm. Rhubarb was pulled straight from the plant and dipped in sugar from the same small cup each time. Later in the season it found its way into pies and cakes, or into bags stacked deep in the chest freezer for winter baking.

That connection shaped the fragrance.

Fresh cut rhubarb and grapefruit open the scent with a bright, tart edge. Wild prairie rose sits at the heart, echoing those summer gardens, while santal and vetiver bring a soft dryness that grounds the fragrance. The result is green, fresh and slightly musky, capturing the feeling of early summer on the prairie.