Choosing Fragrant Flowers for Your Home
Fragrant flower arrangements add style to your home. Replace your faux floral scented candles and air freshener with fresh bouquets of fragrant flowers throughout the seasons. Pleasing aromas make the rooms in your home more inviting for guests when entertaining during the summer or as you curl up next to the fireplace during the winter months. There are many options to consider when choosing your floral bouquet. You can select a fragrant arrangement by color or style, strength or theme.
Strength
Consider the fragrance you want based on the strength of the scent. Strong scents work well in foyers and large formal spaces such as dining rooms and living rooms. When it comes to bold floral scents, roses reign supreme. The classic scent of roses can be used to compliment any of the rooms in your homes, but are sure to make a great impression on your household guests. Another boldly scented flower to add to your common areas are Gardenias. However, the smell of Gardenias is overwhelming to some. Limit your use of Gardenias to open areas or position near an open window on a warm day.
Choosing by Color
Flowers can be the life of the party when hosting a special event in your home. The fragrance of the flower is simply the icing on the cake. Choose bright and fragrant flowers to complement the décor of a room or match a party theme. Peonies are a great example as this flower comes in bold shades of red, white, orange and dark purple. Slightly more dramatic than a rose, peonies are easy to use when creating a round, full bouquet for a coffee table or end table.
Choosing by Theme
The chill of the winter months is typically offset by the warmth of family and friends during the holidays. As family members gather to celebrate over food and well wishes, add to the ambiance with the addition of Chrysanthemums to your flower bouquet. Chrysanthemums release a spicy scent reminiscent of licorice which can be a great complement to baked goods and sweets. Another option is an orange Jessamine. While orange jessamines are not flowering plants, the inclusion of the sweet smell orange blossoms around a holiday dinner table can be delightful to your guests.
Preserving the Scent
The life span of flowers deters many from any attempt at preservation. However, you can turn your flowers into potpourri to hold on the any remaining scents. As your flowers begin to wither, remove them from the vase, tie them together and hang them in a cool, dry area upside down. The total drying process may take up to two weeks. Remove the petals from your dried flowers and place them in a glass jar along with other neutral fragrances such as dried orange peel. Use your newly created flower potpourri to add a pleasing aroma to a bathroom or other small space as your potpourri scent will not be a strong as your fresh floral arrangement.
