It Might Be Best to Avoid Using Too Many on the Guest Table... A Compilation of Fragrant Flowers

2021.04.07 published

Flowers are not just about good scents...

Let me share something shocking.

I used to think all flowers smell good, but it seems that’s not always the case.

Since all flowers have such a vibrant appearance, I thought that roses, sweet peas, and peonies would have sweet and beautiful scents, like perfume, that attract bees... but it turns out that’s not necessarily the case.

Over the past year, I have been consistently decorating my home with flowers, and I’ve come to realize.

There are flowers that smell bad!!!

The extent to which people perceive scents varies, but I believe I’m quite sensitive to smells, so there were definitely some flowers that bothered me a lot.

I thought, "If I unknowingly used this flower in large quantities for the guest table decorations, some guests might think it smells bad, and if the bride notices, she might feel sorry..." So in this article, I will introduce four types of flowers that I think “smell pretty bad.”

① Baby's Breath

In fact, it is quite well-known that baby's breath smells bad.

➡️ This article from marry explains why baby's breath is said to smell bad and discusses its components.

It’s a fluffy and cute flower that looks like cotton candy (its English name is baby’s breath!), but yes.

It smells kind of bad...

If I were to describe the scent with words, it’s like damp laundry that’s half-dried during the rainy season.

A large bouquet of just baby's breath is popular, but if you think about it, when you sniff it, some people might not like it...?

However, the baby's breath you buy from a flower shop is often low in scent and doesn’t bother you, but over time, it seems the smell becomes stronger, so perhaps the baby's breath provided by wedding florists may not smell bad...

I think that might be the case.

Try buying baby’s breath from a florist and check the scent at home.

Personally, I feel that preserved baby’s breath tends to smell quite bad...

② Statice

I recently bought a large quantity of statice and decorated my living room with it, but it smelled terrible.

Unable to stand the scent, which was similar to damp laundry piercing my nostrils, I ended up disposing of it right away.

(It was cute, and I wanted to display statice for a long time...)

@nagisa_marry

I wondered if it was because of my storage methods or the amount of water, but when I searched online, I found many others saying that statice smells bad too, which was somewhat reassuring (?).

Dried flowers, in general, seem to smell more (having a unique scent) compared to fresh flowers, and since both statice and baby's breath are low moisture flowers, that might be related...?

The perception of smell varies from person to person and depending on the timing. When I first asked my husband, “Hey, doesn’t this statice smell bad...?” he replied, “Really? I can’t tell,” but about three days later, he said, “So that’s what smells bad!”

If you like the look of statice and want to use it in bouquets or decorations, I recommend buying it from a florist beforehand and checking the scent...!

③ Lily

As for lilies, I personally don’t think they smell bad! (In fact, I think they smell nice ♡) However, when I had lilies displayed in my home recently, a friend said, “I’m not fond of the smell of lilies... could you move them to another room...?” So it seems some people dislike them...

Of course, I believe not many people firmly dislike the scent of a specific flower (especially when it may smell good to others), but I want to convey that lilies are very [strongly scented] and [richly fragrant] flowers.

Compared to other flowers like roses and peonies, which are considered to smell good, lilies emit a noticeably stronger scent.

Because they have such a strong fragrance, they might evoke a feeling similar to being next to someone wearing overpowering perfume; it can be quite overwhelming.

In wide spaces like wedding venues or hotel lobbies, it might not be an issue, but in a small area like a living room, the scent of lilies is quite prominent.

While I thought, “What a wonderful scent filling the space!” there might also be people who think, “Having this scent all the time is unbearable,” or “Having this scent while eating is uncomfortable.”

While it depends on the amount used and where, it might be something to keep in mind.

④ Allium

Allium, unlike lilies or roses, tends to have a scent that many people find unpleasant rather than a strong (good) fragrance.

Allium belongs to the onion family, and the name “allium” means “garlic smell.” While it has a garlic-like smell, I feel it has a different scent, but it's indeed not a pleasant one...

When I expressed wanting to include alliums in my bridal bouquet, I was told, “No way, it smells bad. Bouquets are close to your face, so they emit a strong scent.”

Still, I love alliums for their cute appearance. They bloom in early summer and come in various types.

Knowing about scents might give you peace of mind＊

Until not long ago, I thought all flowers must only have good scents♡, but surprisingly, there seem to be some flowers that don’t fit that description.

Moreover, since perception varies from person to person, it’s not the kind of thing you can just ask someone about and get a definite answer; it’s a bit of a tricky(?) issue, as you can only think for yourself and come to your own conclusion.

It might be a good idea to try various flowers before the wedding and create your own “list of flowers that smell good” and “list of flowers you dislike” ♩