Experts agree that these are the best spring scents to fragrance your home this season

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.'

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.'

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.

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.

Meet the experts

Rachel Bull

Rachel is a gardening writer, flower grower and floral designer. She joined the Homes & Gardens team in 2023. 

Darryl Do

Darryl specializes in creating fragrances for niche brands and manufactures perfumes for many global brands as well. He speaks globally on cosmetics regulatory and USDA Organic compliance.

Kerry Kip

Kerry established MINOT Candle as a sustainable candle and room spray company, specializing in all-natural, plant-derived scent blends and ethically sourced, non-toxic ingredients.

Leah Sohr

Leah founded her perfume line, Les Fumées, to tell the stories she holds dear. Her fragrances are rooted in French sophistication yet wild at heart.

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.