Clear out the cobwebs with the best spring scents for the home. As we move away from winter towards the warmer months, I'm welcoming fresher fragrances to uplift the senses and refresh my home.
I've asked an expert panel of florists and perfumers to tell me more about the best home fragrances for spring. Think sea salt and crisp linen, freshly cut grass and budding flowers, as we bring the spirit of renewal from nature into our homes.
To help make your home smell nice for the new season, I've spent hours window-shopping at specialist scent stores, as well as luxury home retailers, in search of natural candles, reed diffusers, and essential oils in fresh spring scents. Here are my picks for the season.
Green, herbal scents
As you throw open the windows after winter, I'd encourage you to take a second and breathe deeply, inhaling the scent of the new season. I can smell the herbs starting to flower in my kitchen garden, earthy and aromatic. These grounding notes add depth and dimension to your interiors.
'One of my favorite spring scents for the home is actually the smell of cut grass,' says Head of Gardens, Rachel Bull. 'It takes me instantly back to being a child in the summertime, breathing in the uplifting and comforting smell in the school yard coming from the freshly-cut playing field.'
Developed by creative director Jonathan Anderson in collaboration with in-house perfumer Nuria Cruelles, the LOEWE Oregano Candle is an homage to the sweet, earthy scent of the humble vegetable garden.
A few drops of this into the base of one of the best essential oil diffusers will fill your home with the gorgeous smell of freshly cut grass.
This bergamot and orange blend is energizing and uplifting, one of the best candles to light in the early morning to get you ready for the day ahead.
Zesty, citrus scents
When master perfumer Darryl Do thinks of spring, he imagines 'mornings on the Mediterranean coast, walking by the ocean and smelling the flowers blooming. The refreshing smell of orange blossom balanced with soft florals and musk makes me think of the promise of the new season to come.'
You might like to try fragrance layering to make your scents last longer. Darryl suggests pairing notes of 'bright grapefruit and lime with light florals. It gives the sense of garden in full bloom − energetic, yet calm.'
Freshen up your interiors with the zingy combination of pink pepper and grapefruit, softened by notes of geranium and galbanum.
Founded on patchouli and oak moss, with top notes of Caribbean lime and orange blossoms, this is one of the best reed diffusers for anyone who likes zingy, zesty scents.
Made in the USA from vegetable wax, this candle is infused with the invigorating combination of lime zest, green tea, clary sage, and bergamot.
Light, floral scents
'People joke about "florals for spring" (ground-breaking...) but you'll never go wrong with floral scents if they're associated with meaningful memories,' says Kerry Kip, founder of MINOT Candle. 'For me, spring smells like the lilac bushes that used to bloom outside my childhood home.'
Where lilac is delicate and tender, much like bluebell, freesia is a little sweeter (I always say it smells like the color green). Alternatively, you might prefer the stronger, warmer scent of magnolia. Experiment with floral scents to create your own signature seasonal bouquet.
'Unlike many other bluebell fragrances, this Jo Malone scent has earthy notes of clove and musk that stop it from becoming cloying and sickly,' says master perfumer Laura Honey.
This is one of Amazon's best-selling bottles of essential oil, with more than 47,000 verified five-star reviews. 'A few drops does the trick,' reads one recent review, 'so your bottle should last a long time.'
The combination of delicate willow and dewy magnolia blossoms create a sweet, sophisticated scent to refresh and renew your interiors.
Clean, fresh scents
'One of the spring notes I'm most drawn to is petrichor,' says Leah Sohr, founder of Les Fumées fragrances. 'That's the earthy aroma that follows rain. Deeply nostalgic and emotionally resonant, petrichor is capable of triggering vivid memories with a single breath.'
As you open your windows, put your nose out for clean, fresh scents of linen drying on the line, salt carried over from the sea, or raindrops dotted on blades of grass to revitalize your interiors.
Cool and beachy, Jo Malone's Wood Sage & Sea Salt is one of my favorite perfumes for spring and summer, so I'm treating myself to this elegant diffuser in the same scent.
Fresh linen smells light and breezy. Bring this serene scent out from the laundry room and into the rest of the house with this classic candle.
Pop one of these air freshener sachets in your dresser drawers to keep your clothes smelling clean while they're stored away.
Meet the experts
If you're looking for more ways to make your home smell like springtime, you could try one of our spring simmer pot recipes. All you need is a pot, some water, and a selection of seasonal herbs, fruits, and flowers.
