There are so many talks and romanticism surrounding a flower’s fragrance. But the flowers that are the owners of mesmerising scent along with captivating beauty are very rare. So if you are looking to add scented blooms to your garden or gift someone one, here is a list of the fragrant flowers to choose from.
This year Holi is coinciding with National Fragrance Day on 21st March. Time to bring the old days back and play Holi with flowers, the most fragrant ones!
Rose/Rosa
What’s the Fragrance Like?
We love roses! And so does the world. Roses are one of the best looking and smelling flowers out there. The sweet, immersive scent is also available in the liquid form that we all call as rosewater or gulab jal. But beware before you go looking for a fragrant rose plant for your garden or as a gift for someone special. Owing to disease resistance and hybridization of the flower, many roses today do not contain their trademark scent. So when you go looking for a rose flower, stop and smell it.
How to Make the Most of It
The fragrance of rose becomes stronger when exposed to a warm and humid climate. The flower smells different when its buds are closed and when they open owing to a chemical change in the processes. Also, the scent of roses makes you enter the zone of meditation naturally. This is because when you sniff at a rose, your breathing becomes slower and deeper, letting you relax and feel rejuvenated.
Oriental Lily/ Lilium Orientalis ‘Stargazer’
What’s the Fragrance Like?
In lilies, Oriental lilies are the fragrant ones. And the best time to be around these blooms is in the evenings. This flower has a fragrant compound called linalool, which intensifies the sweet scent in the evenings. The fragrance is brilliantly aromatherapeutic and hence a great mood enhancer and relaxer. This mix of attractive scent plus the distinct look makes it the most desirable flower.
How to Make the Most of It
Place the flower in a vase in your home and find your mood turning happier and calmer with every look and sniff at it.
Sweet Pea/Lathyrus Odoratus
What’s the Fragrance Like?
The flower has a pleasant sweet scent. But not all sweet peas smell the same; some have a faint, some have a balanced aroma while others carry an intense scent. The fragrance in the flower comes from a combination of 6 major and 12 minor components present in them.
Did you know? The Latin name of the flower is Lathuros Odoratus where Odoratus means exceptional fragrance.
How to Make the Most of It
The scent is more delightful on a warm sunny day and less enjoyable on a cold and damp day. So make sure you find a way to be around one during summers.
Gardenia/ Gardenia Jasminoides
What’s the Fragrance Like?
Gardenia has a scent that reminds one of the outdoors; it is warm and spicy. So this flower is great to have around when one is feeling gloomy or missing being out there for some reason.
How to Make the Most of It
The fragrance is quite captivating to the senses, so you are bound to forget your troubles when sniffing on the heavenly scent.
Jasmine/ Jasminum
What’s the Fragrance Like?
Jasmine has a scent that is described as the ancient or original scent of calm. It has caught the fancy of everyone with a nose and is given the same love as a rose for its fragrance by both men and women alike. The fragrance is best described as exotic and rich. The flower blooms long after the sun has set and the temperature has dropped. The star shaped white flower is often used in perfumes because of its immersive fragrance.
How to Make the Most of It
The garland of jasmine or mogra in Hindi is quite famous among women in India. It is worn in hair because of its pretty look and invigorating scent. Also, if you are suffering from anxiety, jittery nerves or depression, the scent from the flower or its essential oil will help fight the symptoms and let you relax.
Lavender/ Lavandula
What’s the Fragrance Like?
The long-stemmed flower’s scent is known for its balsamic and long lingering smell. It is more on the herbal side than floral and thus recommended for calming the jittery nerves as well as treating severe mental disorders like depression, insomnia, etc.
How to Make the Most of It
If you are going through a low phase in life and consequently facing its effects on your mental health, you might want to keep the scent nearby you always. The best way to do that is by wearing its perfume. Look for pure lavender perfumes in the market or make one yourself. It’s quite easy-
Take 4 to 5 lavender flowers and remove them from the stems
Wash them gently to remove any dirt or soil
Boil water in a pan
Drop the flower into the water
Reduce heat and simmer for around 15 minutes
Pour the water with the flowers in a jug and leave to cool
Strain the water with a sieve
Your homemade natural uplifting lavender scent is ready!
Lilac/ Syringa
What’s the Fragrance Like?
A similar looking flower to lavender, lilac has a scent that is very intoxicating and intensely sweet. This flower is for those who enjoy overpoweringly sweet fragrances.
How to Make the Most of It
Keep cut flowers in a vase in your room as it gives off more fragrance. If you keep the plant in your window, get ready to spot butterflies as it attracts them.
Lily of the Valley/ Convallaria Majalis
What’s the Fragrance Like?
You know its spring when you look at it. But can you smell it? You can if you have the bell-shaped flower around you. The scent of lily of the valley has a very spring like feel to it, this could be because it blooms during that season. The smell is very uplifting and fresh, just like the season of spring.
How to Make the Most of It
Since it’s a spring blooming flower, it is very short lived. So you don’t want to miss a chance to enjoy its aroma during that season. Though it has a distinct and captivating fragrance, every bit of it is poisonous. So it is never used as an essential oil or in perfumes; it is best as it is- in its pure and natural form. You can buy a bouquet or plant easily online.
Peony/ Paeonia
What’s the Fragrance Like?
The scent of these blooms varies from sweet and rosy to citrusy and spicy. Peonies are most fragrant at the start of the day as the sun’s warmth intensifies the scent. Other factors like temperature and age of the flower determine how strong the fragrance will be.
How to Make the Most of It
There are various ways of enjoying the beautiful scent of peonies. A bouquet of the blooms is, of course, one of the best options. Another one is you can pluck the florals and float them in a bowl full of water. This will not only look more picturesque in your room but also make it more fragrant.
Sweet Alyssum/ Lobularia Maritima
What’s the Fragrance Like?
As the name suggests, sweet alyssum has a pleasing honey-like fragrance that is not overpowering like the scent of peony. It is very subtle, calming and inviting.
How to Make the Most of It
You can enjoy the scent by keeping the flower in your home. They are easy to grow and need less maintenance and bloom all summer long.