The Ideal Conditions for Growing Roses

Why Kasanlik is Special for Attar Roses

While there are many regions where roses can grow well, Kasanlik has the best conditions for producing roses used in making attar (rose perfume). The attar rose is very sensitive to climate, and no other region is as suitable as Kasanlik for growing these particular roses. For example, in Brussa, Asia Minor, they tried using the same methods as Kasanlik but did not have the same success.

How Roses Are Planted

The Unique Rose Plantations in Kasanlik

Unlike other rose-growing regions, such as Grasse in France, the rose plantations in Kasanlik are not small, isolated plots. Instead, the roses are planted in long, high parallel hedges, about 100 yards long, taller than a man, with a six-foot gap between each hedge Coastal Bulgaria Tours.

The way the roses are planted is also unique to Kasanlik. Large branches of old rose trees are laid horizontally in ditches about 14 inches wide and deep. The branches, which are about a yard long, are placed side by side in the ditch. Then, part of the earth from the ditch is placed lightly on top of the branches, and a small amount of stable manure is added on top.

The Rose Harvest

Timing and Conditions for Picking Roses

The rose harvest starts in mid-May and lasts until mid-June, with the best conditions being moderate temperatures and frequent rain. This ensures a long harvest period of about a month. If the harvest is too quick, it causes problems for the grower. Every day during the blooming period, the flowers that are open or almost open are picked.

A hectare (2.5 acres) of rose bushes usually produces about 6,600 pounds of roses, which equals almost three million flowers. These three million roses will yield just 2.5 pounds of attar.

Distilling Rose Perfume

The Process of Making Attar

The distilling process for rose perfume is simple but requires specific equipment. The main tool is a large copper alembic, about 4 feet 10 inches tall, resting on a brick furnace. The alembic has a cistern (container) with a mushroom-shaped head and a cooling tube.

The cost of the alembic depends on its weight. For example, one weighing around 163 pounds costs about £4 6s. The cooling tube costs between 2s. 6d. and 10s.

The distilling process takes about one to one and a half hours. It is repeated many times until all the petals picked that day have been used. If the petals are left for more than 24 hours before being distilled, much of their fragrance is lost, resulting in a poor yield of attar.