The Scented Home  

by Caroline Moss from 1999 Moon Sign Book by Llewllyn

For anyone who loves herbs, essential oils, and natural fragrances, a wonderful way to improve daily happiness is to use them in scenting the home. I have listed some daily suggestions,  that I have found enjoyable. Many also make easy and unusual gift ideas. 

Kitchen

Kitchen wreaths using spices as well as herbs can be as simple or complex as you wish. You can purchase a ready-made wreath and add a few sprigs from your garden, or make one up from scratch. Many books are available on his art. Small bunches of dried herbs and spices are fast, effective, and fragrant additions to wreaths. Ty rosemary and purple sage cut to three-inch lenghts and tied with mauve and green ribbons, or bunches of cinnamon sticks tied with red. Tiny muslin bags of mixed herbs, called bouquet garni, can be tied on to a wreath and cut off to add to soups and casseroles. Just pinch the herbs as you walk past to release a scent.

Plants on a window sill add fragrance and oxygenate the air. The list of scented herbs and flowers suited to pot growth is immense. Try jasmine, balm of Gilead, lemon thyme, marhoram, lemon verbena, and scented geraniums (pelagorniums). The cultivation of scented geraniums can become a hobby in itself! These fascinatinog plants come in a variety of fragrances such as lemon, rose, mint, spice, and even chocolate! They are easy propagated, so you will soon have lots for a big display or to give away, and the leaves retain their scent when dried for use in potpourri. Note that the flowers are not spectacular nd the showy red and pink geraniums do not carry the scents.

DSon't just keep the pleasure of scent for yourself and your family - make a catnip mouse for your cat. No time to sew? Simply take a small fabric toy or cushion, snip a seam open, poke some dried cat mint and sew it up. The cat won't mind is it's not too tidy.

Glue cinnamon sticks onto a stiff board base for a scented pot stand that will release its fragrance each time warm pots are placed on it. This won't last forever,, but should give good service if you try to keep it fairly dry. Muslin sachets of herbs stiched into fabric mats have the same effect.

Dried herbs need to be in dark, airtight containers to retain their scent. However, be sure to string up some bunches of fresh and dried herbs for pinching as you pass. Rosemary, sage and lavender are particularly long-lasting and fragrant. For a change, hang bunches of southernwood which, in addition to being a haunting scent, has insect repellent qualities.

To fill the home with a lovely fragrance there is no need to spend a lot on specially marketed simmering potpourris. Just throw orange peel, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and bay leaves into a pan of water and boil it up to fill the home with a warm smell. Alternatively, sprinkle a few drops of your favorite essential or frgrance oil, with some potourri if you have it,into a pan of warm water ont he stove. This is fast and effective and gives a good strong scent, where scented candles and the like can be too subtle.