Stop! Smell the Roses
Pink Rosa blossom up close.
Mauve Rosa blossom up close.
Stopping to smell the roses can do more than just fill your nose with hints of vanilla, sherbet, or sweet fruit. Smelling flowers and herbs can help alleviate stress, relieve tension, and change your mindset for the better.
A study was done with two groups of adolescents. One group inhaled the aroma of plant essential oils, while the other inhaled a placebo. Stress levels were considerably lower in the group that inhaled the plant essential oils than in the group that received a placebo. While more studies need to be conducted to fully understand the benefits of natural fragrances, this study proves that those fragrances have healing properties for our bodies and minds.
I remember the first time I went to the Owen Rose Garden in the spring when all the roses were in bloom. Smelling each rose felt precious and like a privilege. To smell one you must get close and personal with the flower, put your nose into it, and smell the fragrance fully. After smelling the rose your head is flooded with thoughts like, “What does this smell remind me of?” and, “Is this rose better smelling than that one?”
The beauty of floral aromas is that they are everywhere in the natural world, not just in the treasured genus Rosa. Other plants like Sarcococca confusa, Salvia officinalis, and Viola odorata employ wonderful floral scents to attract pollinators. By attracting pollinators, these plants inevitably attract us, as we love the smell of flowers.
Flowers’ aromas are multifaceted. They are more than mere stress relief tools, or scents to attract pollinators. Floral scents are symbols of love. They counteract bad smells in rooms and gardens, and they are often mimicked in artificial air fresheners. Flowers give us a reason to take a pause in our day, come up to a plant, and fully inhale its natural aromas.
Think too, of how flowers can say “I’m sorry,” or “I love you,” and of how the smell of flowers helps reiterate those messages. When a loved one buys you flowers, you smell them upon arrival. You place them in a vase of water so they can continue to fill your home with wonderful floral fragrances. Those pleasant fragrances are symbols of the lovely intentions of the person who bought them.
Fresh-cut flowers are one way to bring the beauty of nature indoors. You can also receive the benefits of natural fragrance with live plants indoors and outdoors. Some good plants to start growing are lavender, rosemary, and mint (Lavandula, Rosmarinus, and Mentha respectively). Indoors try Hoya carnosa, Jasminum polyanthum “white jasmine,” or Citrus trees. Citrus trees can live indoors in the winter. They’ll bloom and produce oranges in the winter. Then, they benefit from being brought outdoors from spring to summer.
Whether you use fresh-cut flowers, live plants, or essential oils, you should always choose natural fragrances. Consider using more natural aromas in your life, and yes, stop to smell the roses. Your brain will thank you.
If you’d like to learn more about the unique and amazing-smelling plant Viola odorata, visit here. To receive monthly updates and sneak peeks, sign up for Club Bloom. Thank you, and happy growing. Or, in this case, happy smelling!
