With the slight drop in temperature as evening arrives, we’re already noticing a shift towards warmer, cosier scents, both in store and online. Alongside the comforting glow of candlelight, there are plenty of simple, natural ways to bring fragrance into your home as we move through autumn and into winter.
One of my favourites is a winter botanical scent bowl.
Super-easy to make and beautiful to look at, it’s a lovely way to gently fragrance your home while doubling as a seasonal decorative centrepiece.
Using pine cones gathered on winter walks, a few dried botanicals and carefully chosen essential oils, you can create your own at home — or make one as a thoughtful handmade gift for someone you love.
What you’ll need
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A basketful of thoroughly dried pine cones
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Cinnamon sticks, star anise, dried orange slices and rosemary sprigs — optional, but lovely for adding colour and texture
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A decorative bowl — I like to use porcelain, or a lined wooden bowl or basket
For the fragrance
This simple blend creates a wonderfully crisp, Christmas tree-inspired scent — fresh, green and aromatic:
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6 drops pine essential oil
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4 drops cypress essential oil
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3 drops eucalyptus essential oil
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2 drops cedarwood essential oil
Method
Place your dried pine cones into a large paper bag or lidded container. Add the essential oils, close the bag or container and gently shake to distribute the fragrance.
Leave overnight to allow the essential oils to diffuse through the pine cones, then arrange them in your chosen bowl.
For a little extra seasonal colour and texture, tuck in dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, star anise or sprigs of rosemary. The botanicals look beautiful together and make the bowl feel like a little collection gathered from the season.
As the fragrance naturally begins to fade, simply refresh your pine cones with a few more drops of your essential oil blend.
A little note on safety
Essential oils are highly concentrated, so a little goes a long way. Avoid getting neat essential oils on your skin and wash your hands after handling the freshly scented pine cones.
Always keep your botanical scent bowl away from candles, open fires, radiators and other sources of heat or flame. Once pine cones have been scented with essential oils, do not use them as firelighters or burn them.
Keep essential oils and freshly scented botanicals out of reach of children and pets.
Then simply place your finished bowl somewhere you can enjoy it, and let the fresh, woody fragrance bring a little of the winter landscape indoors.