The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Il Giardino di Freya was launched in 2017 by DFG1924, with Roberto Dario credited as perfumer. Its inspiration centers on Freya Stark's garden in Asolo, a place presented through roses, iris, and winter sweet, then set against the wet freshness of land and pond water where water lilies appear. Roses provide recognition, while the watery setting gives the composition a fresh, cool character. White rose and lotus establish the floral impression, with dark woodsy notes adding depth beneath the visible brightness. Iris, musk, woody notes, and amber contribute further layers, while calycanthus, also known as winter sweet, adds another floral presence. The fragrance is presented for someone with an assured, independent presence, with an original and not obvious character.
The interesting part is the contrast between visible flowers and the world around them. White rose and lotus create a dewy floral surface, but dark woodsy notes pull that brightness into deeper territory. Iris, musk, woody notes, and amber add further dimensions to the composition. Calycanthus, or winter sweet, contributes a distinct floral sweetness alongside rose, iris, and lotus. Jasmine brings another floral layer as the fragrance moves beyond its opening impression.
The evolution
The first impression is a cool, green floral lift, with lotus providing water and white rose supplying a soft white-flower edge. Jasmine and dark woodsy notes soon make the composition more dimensional, pulling the garden into shadow. During the middle phase, the floral heart combines rose, lotus, and iris with the darker woods. Musk and amber add further depth to the progression, while calycanthus, or winter sweet, contributes its own floral sweetness. The listed notes move from a fresh floral opening into a layered heart of flowers, woods, musk, and amber, creating a composition that can be explored through the contrast between greenery, visible blossoms, and darker woody elements.
Cultural impact
Il Giardino di Freya presents a specific garden setting through the name of Freya Stark and the atmosphere of Asolo. Its composition draws on roses, iris, calycanthus or winter sweet, water lilies, wet land, and pond water. White rose, lotus, and jasmine establish the floral side of the scent, while dark woodsy notes, woods, musk, and amber add further layers. The fragrance was launched in 2017 by DFG1924, with Roberto Dario credited as perfumer, making this garden-inspired presentation the central focus for discovery.
The House
DFG1924DFG1924 is an Italian niche fragrance house that draws its identity from nearly a century of apothecary heritage. The brand emerged from the Dalla Favera family pharmacy tradition in the province of Treviso, translating generations of herbal knowledge and compounding expertise into a collection of artistic perfumes launched in 2017. The house occupies a distinctive position in Italian niche perfumery by weaving autobiographical storytelling into each fragrance, referencing family history, personal relationships, and regional culture through scent composition. DFG1924 operates as an independent, vertically integrated house, developing and releasing its collections without the backing of larger luxury conglomerates. The brand's output remains deliberately modest, with a catalog spanning roughly a dozen fragrances since its debut, favoring depth of narrative over volume of releases.
The Creator
Roberto DarioNatural materials define Dario's style. He works primarily with botanical ingredients, sourcing and combining them with a chemist's understanding of their properties.
