UPLIFTING

above: Uplifting scents in the home and garden can have a powerful, uplifting effect on our moods.

When you are feeling blue and out of sorts, or are caught by worries and feeling of insecurity, look for fragrances that will lift your spirits and encourage a cheerful outlook.

The sweetly herbaceous, heady fragrance of clary sage will achieve a definite euphoric lift. If you are suffering from stress and nervous tension, try burning a few drops of the essential oil in a room vaporizer, but don't use too much, as you could be left feeling very light-headed.

The aroma of clary sage is also cleansing and it blends will with the sweet, refreshing aroma of orange, creating a cheering and uplifting combination. In China, gifts of oranges are offered during the New Year celebrations as symbols of happiness and prosperity. Their fresh aroma helps disperse gloomy, negative thoughts, revive the spirit and untangle emotional problems and obsessions.

The light, lemony scent of melissa is also reputed to chase away dark thoughts. A pleasant fragrance to have around the house or office, it encourages a clean and positive atmosphere. For depression associated with grief and loss, melissa will help bring understanding and relief.

The popular household plant, geranium, is another refreshing anti-depressant, good for easing nervous tension and exhaustion and restoring harmony and balance. In Victorian Britain, the geranium plant was strategically placed around the house so that women's long skirts would brush against them and release the sweet and rosy perfume. For a refreshing, uplifting start to the day, blend two drops of geranium and two drops of bergamot essential oils and add to your bath just before you get in.

above: The warm tones of ried orange slices nestling in glossy evergreen bay leaves make a wonderfully aromatic Christmas garland.