Top Ten Ways to scent your home

It's almost the end of Easter for another year, we've still got a bit of chocolate to eat, but we've had a lovely time entertaining and being entertained. I've been experimenting with scenting the house, and have now come up with my top ten scenting tips, some work best for summer and some for chilly spring days when you're longing for the sun...

1. Fresh flowers - these need to be really fresh, not from the supermarket - unless they are the specially scented varieties. I've found this spring that the loveliest scent comes from locally grown daffodils. I'm afraid not grown by me, but my local farmers and picked up in vegetable shops. I'm amazed at the difference between these, and the supermarket flowers I used to buy, no going back to plastic wrapped and chilled now.

2. Mid range scent plug ins, the three in one kind are fantastic, and give a continually changing fragrance that freshens the whole house. These are a world away from the old fashioned gel blocks that I remember as a child, and always had a slightly artificial smell.

3. Scented candles, slightly more expensive for a gorgeous natural smell but absolutely worth it in the evenings when you add the scent to a lovely candle lit glow.

4. The smell of a freshly lit wood fire on a cold evening can't be beaten for a warm glow both inside and out. Try experimenting with different kinds of wood for different smells, and burning times.

5. Furniture polish, this is the absolute multi purpose product as it cleans your mirrors and wood, but also adds a lovely retro just cleaned scent to your home. Try lavender wood polish, or old fashioned Brasso for a just cleaned scent.

6. Your own perfume, and bath products always smell gorgeous, both on you, and in the bathroom/bedroom when you've finished using them. As an emergency freshening up measure, try a spritz of perfume in the living room/kitchen.

7. The scent of fresh herbs, why not grow some basil, mint, and oregano by your kitchen window/door. A breeze blowing over them will release their scrummy smell in to the room.

8. Freshly chopped lemons and oranges, of course I'm not suggesting you waste these, but try adding to icing sugar for delicious spring frosting, or feed the children slices and relish the lush citrus scent.

9. Real scrumpy cider, the true smell of vintage summers. Try getting some of the traditional stuff, and well, drinking it to appreciate its delicious scent and taste, oh but watch out, its stronger than you think!

10. Freshly cut grass, a perfect summers scent. Simply fling open your windows when you hear the sound of a mower, and let the grass in. Clearly not the best one if you live in an area without many gardens, or if any of your loved ones suffer from allergies. But perfect for the rest of us, roll on June.