How to create a fragrant floral arrangement

Whatever your floral preferences, an arrangement instantly elevates any space. And when the materials smell so beautiful, it becomes a full sensory experience. Choosing your fragrant notes is as simple as following your nose. At flower markets or while out walking, I often find myself diving headfirst into a bouquet of flowers and taking a deep inhale.

Here's a guide to get you started.

The first step is to choose your vessel — something that speaks to you. Having a vase I love on a table always inspires me to fill it with flowers. Make sure it's clean and filled with room temperature to cool water.

During the material selection stage, I always ask myself these questions to help me choose florals that have the traits I'm looking for:

• Will these materials add volume to the arrangement?
• Are they gestural? Will they allow me to expand the arrangement outward in an interesting way?
• Are the colours or shades complementary, or do they provide an alluring contrast?
• Do I find the scents of these flowers appealing?

For this project, I've chosen the following florals:

• Pieris japonica 'Mountain Fire' (If you can't find this, hyacinth is a good alternative.)
• Eucalyptus (A classic, fragrant option.)
• Rosemary (Can be found at the grocery store.)
• Jasmine vine (A beautiful touch to add to any arrangement.)
• Butterfly ranunculus (Not fragrant but always a nice addition.)

Once you have your materials and vase ready, start by adding one stem at a time. I always like to begin with the most voluminous flower, so, for this arrangement, I started with the Pieris. Starting with volume will allow you to use that mass as support for other materials.

Next, add volume on the opposite side (I used rosemary), allowing the arrangement to stretch in different directions. 

After adding volume on both sides, build up some height. I used eucalyptus because I love the gestural airiness of the leaves.

Once I have equal volume and height, I add my accents — jasmine and butterfly ranunculus for this project. Since I created volume with the bulkier florals, sticking in the finishing accents was a breeze. I always cut the stems at varying heights and place them in one area to add the drama I'm aiming to achieve.

Next, stand back and make any edits that feel necessary. I always like to manicure some stems and leaves to make sure the piece looks wild, but intentionally so.

Lastly, place your arrangement in a high-traffic spot in your home or office and enjoy the visuals and scents!