Cœur de Jardin Miller Harris 2015

Miller Harris has interpreted a garden in quite a unique way. Where one might expect opulent floral notes due to the name, one is quickly enlightened otherwise.
Upon spraying, the zesty, sour freshness of the citrus notes immediately sets in, with a slight fruity sweetness from pear and peach. Here, a pleasant freshness effect is created, making the fragrance feel airy.
However, the heart note quickly reveals itself as quite undefined. A jumble of rose, jasmine, tuberose, and vanilla almost suffocates the initially fresh scent. Additionally, a dull, powdery note from the base quickly joins in. The earthy patchouli, moss, and powdery iris send clear signals to the heart note. On one hand, this significantly dampens the floral lift of the heart note, while on the other hand, I find the dull undertone unappealing. A real contrast.
Moss, patchouli, and iris certainly set the tone, even though the fruit and floral notes of the top/heart note are still perceptible in the background; everything feels somewhat restrained.
Was it Miller Harris's intention to give the fragrance a kind of richness in facets, or did they simply want to distinguish themselves from the typical floral scents? If the goal was to capture the entire spectrum of garden fragrances, then I don’t think they succeeded here.
Due to the dominant players patchouli, moss, and iris, the base struggles to contribute further nuances. Amber and musk almost get lost in the overpowering presence of their counterparts. One can perceive traces of them, which make the base softly fade away.
Be that as it may, the fragrance will polarize.
But perhaps it is precisely the contrast that sets the fragrance apart from the crowd and makes it interesting?!
The longevity is around 4-5 hours, and the sillage is moderate. Close to the skin, the scent lasts longer.