A Spring Thing
Spring is on its way. And there's no better way to hurry it along than with a gentle nudge. With some thought and planning, you can usher spring colors, shapes, and scents into your winter world!

Spring? Bring it on!

Scents of Spring
Spring Sensations
Shades of Spring

Scents of Spring
Aromatherapy is exactly what the word implies: Using plant and floral fragrances to heal and refresh the body and mind. Every plant, flower, or herb has an aromatic essence that determines its unique smell or taste. Working through our sense of smell, these essences trigger the brain to release chemicals that reduce pain and relax and calm the body.

Aromatherapy is not a new concept. Anthropologists believe that primitive man used scented flowers and herbs for both ceremony and pleasure. Ancient Egyptians added the essence of chamomile in massage oils, and Greek athletes sprinkled themselves with scented nectar to enhance athletic performance. Cleopatra used pillows filled with rose petals to induce sleep. The Romans added lavender to their baths to soothe muscles and relax the spirit, and African tribespeople coated their skin with fragrant oils to protect them from the sun.

Floral fragrances can dramatically enhance our moods and health. Lavender flowers and roses are known for their calming effect. Spring-scented flowers such as the lily, rose, lilac and sweet-pea are known to invoke feelings of romance. The fragrance of the ylang ylang tree's yellow flower is so captivating that Indonesians place it on newlyweds' beds!

Floral fragrances improve learning and productivity. In 1995, a study at the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation showed that aromatic essences — especially floral scents — increased learning speed by 17 per cent. Similarly, office workers work much faster in offices filled with fragrant flowers than in odorless environments.

Using fragrance to enhance the home has occured throughout history. The Bible notes the frequent use of frankincense; potporri is often mentioned in Shakespere's plays. To perfume the air of banquet halls, ancient Greeks and Romans sprinkled doves' wings with scented oils before releasing them into the room.

Today, relaxing music and soft fragrances are combined to make a home more inviting. A home's scent is particularly important to potential buyers — it can make or break a buyer's interest. Placing fragrant bouquets or mild potporri in selected rooms before an open house often results in a faster sale.

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Spring Sensations
These seven spring selections are enduring favorites. Flowering bulbs like daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths boast blossoms that signal the joy of springtime — and the passing of winter. Awaken spring dreams by surrounding yourself with a bunch of these fragrant flowers!

1. Anemone
2. Daffodil
3. Iris
4. Freesia
5. Hyacinth
6. Buttercup
7. Tulip

Anemone

• Blooms in vivid shades of pink, red, violet, blue, and white
• Divided leaves and showy flowers without petals — called also windflower
• Genus: Anemone
• Meaning: Forsaken

Daffodil

• Only available in shades of brilliant yellow
• Plant whose flowers have a large crown lengthened into a trumpet
• Genus: Narcissus
• Meaning: Only you

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Iris

• Shades of purple, blue, mauve, rich brown, orange, yellow, white, and bicolors
• Perennial herbaceous plants with linear leaves and large showy flowers
• Genus: Iridaceae
• Meaning: Friendship, faith, wisdom, and valor

Freesia

• These fragrant flowers come in all colors
• Sweet-scented African herbs with flowers
• Genus: Iridaceae
• Meaning: Spontaneity, fun

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Hyacinth

• Available in shades of blue, purple, red, pink, buff, and white
• Bulbous herb native to the Mediterranean region — widely grown for its dense spikes of fragrant flowers
• Genus: Lily
• Meaning: Purity, constancy, forgiveness, loveliness

Buttercup

• Vibrant shades of red, pink, gold, buttery yellow, and white
• Herbs with flowers and alternate leaves
• Genus: Ranunculaceae
• Meaning: Joy, celebration

Tulip

• Available in a rainbow of colors
• Eurasian bulbous herbs that have linear or broadly tapered leaves; widely grown for their showy flowers
• Genus: Tulipa
• Meaning: Love, beauty, sunshine

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Shades of Spring
According to the experts, this spring "clean" is in. The look is soft, calm colors in solid tones that originate from subdued yellows, robin's egg blues, and apple greens. Aubergine, royal blue, and terra-cotta — brownish orange — are also very big this year.

Here are some other color tips to round out your spring look:

• Brights are natural; they never go out of style
• On the East Coast, the demand is for pastels and decorator colors (e.g. olive and gold)
• The West Coast is satisfied with a more lush look
• Purple is big — from lavender (pale purple) to aubergine (deep eggplant)
• Green is a perennial favorite because it is natural and goes with anything
• A white on white mixture of textures is a global classic

Happy Spring!

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Source:
sunset.com
giftsanddec.com