Anya McCoy, the Perfumer

I have always loved perfumes, and have vivid memories of "blending" them in early childhood. I collected essential oils, absolutes and attars from an early age, then went on to study as a solitary artist, following the Jean Carles method of contrast and comparison blending. I also studied, to a lesser degree, Indian methods of blending.

My passions are plants, organic gardening (wrote for OG magazine for some years), appropriate technology, land planning for sustainability, and design. I have a vision how natural perfumery touches and evolves with all of those loves, and that vision touches every aspect of my daily life.

My studies for my university degrees in ethnobotany and landscape architecture always involved fragrant plants, a true passion of mine. Knowing the secrets of the plants, from the cellular level, to the entire growth cycle, unlocked those mysteries.

In 1990, to help further those goals, I ran for, and was elected to, the position of Soil and Water Conservation District Manger of Collier County, Florida. There, land development, agriculture and the need to guide the growth of both were of utmost importance. All the while, I was importing jasmine absolute, sandalwood, and other ethereal oils, blending, studying, and laying the foundation for Anya's Garden.

I follow the seasons of flowers so that I can create exquisite, unique additions for my perfumes. I accomplish this by tincturing the many rare and usually unavailable-to-the-trade fragrant plants in my garden at my home, Casa Jasmin.

I am devoted to using only natural aromatics. Their study and use is a lifelong passion, and the many secrets and surprises they hold in their fragrant veil is my life's work. I am very happy to share these creations with you, the lover of fine perfumes made naturally with an artisan's care and devotion to beauty.

Anya's Garden is a women-owned, green company. We recycle, advocate purchasing locally, thinking globally, and are dedicated to the advancement of sound environmental policies to protect our beautiful planet and every living thing.