These 10 Fragrant Herbs Will Make Your Whole Home Smell Incredible

A great-smelling house is something that we all want: it signals to our bodies that our environment is a safe one and delivers an overall sense of well-being. While you can turn to artificial forms of scent, like air freshening sprays and candles, these products can be chockful of ingredients that are harmful to our bodies and can disrupt our endocrine system's healthy functioning. If you want to embrace all the good that pleasant scents offer without any of the harmful side effects, turning to natural sources — like fresh herbs — is one of the best ways to do so. 

Many herbs will grow best in your kitchen, and they are a wonderful way to make your home smell great. You'll find that there is a wide variety of scents out there. From rosemary and lavender to peppermint and lemon verbena, each plant has its own unique scent to instill in your home. These herbs can also be used as a source of home freshener in a number of ways, whether boiling the herbs, keeping them growing fresh and healthy, or drying them. If you're not quite sure where to begin, however, here are a number of solid options for indoor herbs to make your home smell incredible.

Peppermint is the epitome of a fresh-smelling herb, with an unmistakable scent that will surely improve the ambiance of any space. It can grow easily with the right conditions: well-drained but moist soil, indirect light, and cool temperatures not exceeding 70 degrees. Boil the leaves in some water if you wish to quickly infuse your home with its fresh scent.

Rosemary has a distinct and pungent smell that is both romantic and earthy. This Mediterranean herb is easy to grow in the right conditions: you'll want to give it plenty of light in a bright window, as well as keep the soil from being moist, as it prefers dry soil and only needs to be watered about once a week. You truly don't need to do anything to help rosemary make your home smell incredible — you'll get a good whiff of the herb every time you pass it.

Lavender is hugely beloved in terms of herbal scents, thanks to its beautiful floral notes. Similar to rosemary, lavender wants sunlight and dry soil between waterings. If you wish to get a little extra scent from your lavender, consider cutting off sprigs of the herb, letting them dry, and placing them in vases throughout your home, where they will smell amazing. Use can also try the old-school way to keep your home smelling fresh by crafting your own homemade potpourri with dried lavender.

Lemon verbena is a brightly scented herb that gives off a strong smell of its namesake — lemon. Candles and cleaning sprays are often available in this herb's scent, making it easy to associate this herb with fresh and clean spaces. Lemon verbena will do best in well-drained soil and warm and sunny conditions, so be sure to place it in a bright window for the best results.

Chamomile is an aromatic herb known for its beautiful and dainty white flowers. It is commonly enjoyed in teas that are designed to soothe upset stomachs, but it also can lend a lovely, sweet scent to your home. You can place chamomile in a south-facing window where it will get several hours of sunlight a day, remembering to keep the soil damp but not overly wet. You can easily dry chamomile to use in floral arrangements around the house, where you'll get to enjoy its scent or keep it fresh in a pot.

Echinacea is a flowering herb that is sure to help your home smell wonderful. You can grow this plant indoors with a minimum of 2 to 4 hours of sunlight per day, keeping the soil moist and only watering when it gets dry. In addition to lending nice floral notes to your home's spaces, you'll also get to enjoy the beautiful aesthetic of its pink flowers.

Thyme is a beginner-friendly, dainty-looking herb that can bring an earthy yet pleasant smell to your home. Its easy-growing needs include plenty of sunlight every day (so be sure to have a sunny windowsill to place it in), warm conditions, and soil that is moist yet not waterlogged. You can enjoy the scent of thyme, either fresh or dried.

Why not try your hand at growing lemon balm inside? This herb, which is often used for its medicinal purposes often in the form of teas and tinctures, is also able to lend a light, lemony floral scent to your space. Keep your lemon balm plant on a sunny windowsill and keep the soil moist and well-drained to ensure that your herb is healthy. Be sure to pinch any flowers off.

A common herb that is used in Italian recipes, oregano can help your home smell nice, too. It has a scent that is both minty and loamy and smells great, both dried and fresh. You'll be able to keep your indoor oregano growing well if you give it plenty of sunlight, warmth, and well-drained soil. Oregano makes for a wonderful addition to boiled potpourri, which can be made with fresh herbs. 

At a distance, salvia plants might look similar to lavender, but they have a distinctly different smell. Their leaves offer a sage-meets-mint smell profile, which can be a pleasant addition to your home. You can enjoy these herbal leaves either fresh or dried. Grow your salvia indoors in a bright spot where it gets plenty of sunlight every day. It also will want soil that is well-draining and dry to moist but not overly wet. If all this talk of herbs has you excited, here are 25 indoor herb ideas that will make you want to have a year-round garden.