Pergola London

Pergola London’s soy-based candles and diffusers are just the tonic for these hectic times. Sue Lee and Duncan Macdonell, partners in both life and business, take great pride in their handmade wares, which they sell from their deliciously-scented Greenwich Market stall every weekend.

The ‘more artistic’ of the two, one-time fashion designer Sue makes most of Pergola’s candles and essential-oil blends personally; Duncan is mostly responsible for marketing, transport and logistics. First established at Greenwich Market in 2018, Pergola has gone from strength to strength, attracting plenty of rapturous reviews, return custom and willing collaborators from the Market’s family of creative traders.

Everything Pergola produces is natural, handmade and of the highest quality. Sue and Duncan’s own search for high-quality candles and diffusers often led to disappointment, making them determined to create for themselves what they couldn’t find on the market. The use of soy wax, a stable-burning and animal free product, was non-negotiable, as was the decision to omit alcohol. Thorough testing also led to the use of coconut wax, which burns better in combination with some essential oils.

‘Traditional candles are made from paraffin’, explains Duncan. Pergola’s emphasis on the natural and sustainable led them away from this petroleum-based material. Soy wax, naturally extracted from soya beans, doesn’t directly involve the release of carbon from the ground, while the jars into which the candles are poured are designed for reuse. Their UK supplier is similarly ethical, sourcing soy extracts from nearby European producers bound by EU environmental regulations. Sue then mixes the European product with British-made soy wax to create the unique blend that makes Pergola candles burn so purely.

Pergola is more than a brand: it takes inspiration from the Hill Garden and Pergola on Hampstead Heath. Laid out by renowned landscape architect Thomas Mawson, this magical ensemble of vine-shaded colonnades, flowering plants and delightful views was once the private garden of a manor house. Now, this ‘secret garden’ is Sue’s happy place, where the dedicated nature lover can find peace and take inspiration from the seasonal parade of flowers.

Flowers are a key part of what Sue and Duncan produce. Hand dried blooms sourced from London flower markets are pressed into their candles as a final, floral flourish, augmenting the essential oils in the soy wax with the scents and colours of nature. No two Pergola candles are the same: each is hand-decorated with wattle, lavender, hydrangeas – whatever’s in season. Sue, a student of traditional Korean medicine, chooses flowers and oils for their aromatherapeutic properties.

While Sue and Duncan want to keep Pergola small, keeping artistic and quality control over everything they make, they have been inspired to collaborate with friends from Greenwich Market’s creative trading community. For example, they’ve made candles and diffusers in collaboration with Harbour Pots, and cards depicting their cat, Freya, with their Australian illustrator friend, Nicole. It’s these ‘found connections,’ to use Duncan’s phrase, that keeps the couple inspired to keep creating new, fragrant and delightful products.