I don’t know about you, but I love a good scent in my home. But I hate the idea of using synthetic chemicals to make your home smell good. So I say, why not do it naturally by growing some aromatic indoor herbs!
There are so many to choose from and a lot of them look beautiful, smell amazing, and can be grown with little effort.
Some of these herbs will smell more after watering, if you brush up against them, or if they catch some extra warmth from a sunny window. The scents you choose are really a personal preference as some may be more calming, uplifting, or stimulating.
Without further ado, here are my top 12 fragrant herbs to grow indoors so you can have a fresh smelling home, with beautiful scents all the time.
1. Lavender
Lavender is a very calming herb, and has a beautiful light, sweet, floral scent. There are many varieties to choose from, but you want to be sure to chose a smaller, dwarf variety. I would suggest something like a munstead (12-18 inches high) or hidcote (about 12 inches high).
Lavender will require lots of light so a grow light may be necessary unless you have a very bright window. Go easy on the water as they do not like wet feet. Make sure to prune your lavender about once or twice a year to keep it happy, healthy, and flowering.
2. Thyme
I just love thyme for its beautiful earthy, and fresh citrus scent. This can be especially true with varieties such as the lemon thyme pictured above. Any variety should work for thyme as it is a naturally mounding or ground cover type of plant.
Thyme requires full sunlight by a bright window or a grow light. Thyme also does not like to have wet feet so you can water a little lighter then other plants.
3. Bay Laurel
Bay always reminds me of a yummy stew simmering away. It has a woodsy and spicy aroma that almost reminds you of clove or cinnamon. I want to add bay to my plant collection.
It would be great to have in a container where it is outside in the warmer months and then brought in to be protected from the Canadian winters I have here.
When growing indoors, you will want to provide at least 6 hours of light each day. Bay will appreciate a nice moist soil, and regular pruning and shaping.
4. Eucalyptus
If you want your home to smell like a relaxing spa then look no further than eucalyptus. It is so soothing with its signature woodsy, fresh scent. There are a ton of varieties of eucalyptus so be sure to choose one that will grow smaller and be better suited for containers.
You will want to stay on top of pruning, so your eucalyptus does not get too overgrown. It will also need about 6-10 hours of light. Eucalyptus will do best when the top layer of soil is able to dry out in between water. When you do water, make sure to water deeply.
5. rosemary
Rosemary is a very aromatic herb and is well suited to growing in containers. I find rosemary to have a very fresh smell with a spicy note to it.
Be sure to water your rosemary on the lighter side. The most important thing is that your rosemary gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day or that you supplement with a grow light.
6. Scented Geranium
I would describe a scented geranium to smell slightly floral, and fresh, with fruity notes.
These lovely flowering plants prefer as much light as you can give them. They are drought-tolerant so you will want to water a little less than some of your other indoor plants. They do really well in hot humid environments so you may want to mist them in between watering.
7. lemon balm
Lemon balm is a member of the mint family. It has a fresh, uplifting, lemon scent with a hint of mint and sweetness as well.
When growing lemon balm indoors you want to provide it with about 6 hours of sunlight each day. Do not overwater your lemon balm or else it may die of root rot.
8. Roman chamomile
Chamomile is well known for its calming properties. Chamomile has a sweet, woody smell.
There are a few varieties of chamomile to grow. I chose Roman chamomile to grow indoors because it is a little more compact. It has more of a creeping growth pattern, and will only get about 3-4 inches high.
You will want to provide your chamomile with moist soil, and about 4 hours of light each day.
9. oregano
Oregano has a slightly peppery and sweet smell, and to me is also a bit earthy.
Be sure to provide about 6-8 hours of light each day, and have the soil dry out slightly in between watering. Another thing is to regularly prune your oregano to maintain its shape and promote fresh new growth.
10. basil
The smell of basil just brings me back to being outside in the sun walking around my garden. Which is so welcome on a cold winter day.
Basil has a very fresh aroma, and can also be slightly peppery, sweet, or have a licorice smell depending on the variety. Basil is in my top list of easiest herbs to grow indoors.
Make sure to provide at least 6 hours of light each day, and keep the soil of your basil plant consistently moist. You will also want to prune regularly just above where two leaves split for a bushier plant.
11. Teacup roses
These lovely miniature roses have a very sweet, floral scent. You can find them pretty easily in garden centers and even some grocery stores.
Teacup roses need a minimum of 5 hours of light each day. They prefer to grow in higher humidity so keep the soil evenly moist, and mist your plants once and a while. A nice room temperature spot should be good for them with no drafts.
12. Jasmine
Jasmine is such a pretty plant with a sweet, floral and almost fruity scent. There are many species of Jasmine, so be sure to pick one that will grow best indoors.
Jasmine prefers bright, indirect light and will benefit from pruning after the flowers have finished. As soon as the top half inch of soil feels dry, it is time to water.
Other Inexpensive Ways to Naturally Scent Your Home:
If you are looking for more natural and inexpensive ways to scent your home, why not try incorporating herbs into your next floral arrangement, or put together a simple simmer pot.
Comment below and share your favourite herb scent.
Until next time!
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