Our Story
How a farm, two scientists, and a love of Scottish landscape shaped Middleshade.
Middleshade began as a land-restoration project: an effort to revive a piece of rural Scotland through replanting, biodiversity, and small-scale agriculture. What followed was unexpected - the creation of a lavender farm in Scotland, the distillation of aromatic botanicals, and a quiet fascination with the craft of perfume.
Who are we?
A husband-and-wife team shaped by science.
One half of the team, Rory, studied Physics at the University of Oxford. His journey back to rural Scotland - and into distillation, agriculture and aromatic chemistry - was profiled by Oxford in the Alumni Stories, "We Can Do Our Part to Restore the Landscape".
The other half, Marina, originally from Friuli Venezia-Giulia in Italy, trained as a plant geneticist at the John Innes Centre, and carried our research at ETH Zurich, before joining the farm and perfumery. Her background in botany, plant genetics and environmental science guide the way we grow, select and understand our botanicals.
Together, we bring scientific precision, environmental stewardship, and a shared love of the Scottish countryside into our work.
Language & Place
Our website is available in three languages - English, Scots and Gaelic. All three belong to the landscapes, histories and communities that inspire our work.
Our Farm
Our farm in rural Kinross-shire is a mosaic of lavender fields, wildflower meadows, young woodland, and botanical plots. We distil our own lavender on-site and grow complementary aromatic plants, including mints, sage, and chamomile, which inform the character of our work.
Sustainability guides everything we do, from planting and soil care to increasing biodiversity and restoring pollinator habitats.
How we Create
Our perfumes are designed to complement the oils we produce here on the farm. We bottle every perfume ourselves, by hand, in small batches.
Why We Exist
Middleshade was created to honour Scotland - its landscapes, its science, and its stories. Our perfumes begin long before the bottle: in the soil, the fields, the weather, and the imagination that shape where we call home.
By distilling our own botanicals and finishing each bottle by hand, we aim to make fragrances that feel honest, grounded, and quietly luxurious - scents that stay true to where they come from.
Visit the Farm
The Scottish Lavender Farm
