When it comes to decorating with flowers not many people think of including the bathroom, yet it’s the perfect place for some colour, sweet smells and a little life.

A pose of beautiful flowers in the bathroom is also a great start to your day when you are getting ready for work or a busy day at home. It’s also a delightful way to impress guests, especially if you go for a bright bunch of flowers in the guest bathroom during their stay with you, it’s that little bit of care and attention to detail they will really notice. It’s also a fantastic way to show off your home if you are looking to sell.

Brightening up your bathroom is as simple as adding a small vase of blooms to your vanity. You can take cuttings from your own garden to create a high impact look, feel and smell that changes with the seasons. Include some greens with your flowers with cuttings of ferns, gum leaves or ivy.

Your bathroom is probably too small a space to go for a large vase or tall flowers. Keep in mind this is typically a place where people move around a lot and point their elbows out, for cleaning teeth, brushing hair or taking clothes off or on, so it pays to think small and neat, or your will get a high number of spills and crashes.

Even a single bloom in a tiny vase can make an impression, so go as small as you need to suit your room and bench space.

If you do have a bigger bathroom then a small stool placed in the corner can make a beautiful stand for some significant blooms and larger vases.

The last thing to keep in mind is the heat and humidity that builds up during a shower or bath. All that running water can be harsh on some plants so it’s important to select flowers that can last or you will be changing wilting blooms every day.

Here are some especially hardy flowers for the bathroom

• Banksia

• Waratah

• Bottlebrush

• Eucalypt

• Orchids

• Carnations

When selling your home don’t underestimate the power of smell. Beautiful scents give a fantastic first impression and spark an emotional tie to your home that will be remembered.

If you are after fragrance for your bathroom you probably don’t need much as the small steamy room will fill with scent very quickly.

For a natural perfume try the following, or mix and match with some from the list above for a hardy and beautiful sweet smelling bouquet.

• Sweetpea (Spring/Summer) A scent that is sweetly refreshing.

• Stock (Winter) Rambling and full of colour, smells of honey and spice

• Peonies (Spring/Summer) A sweet perfume, especially the pink variety.

• Jonquils (Winter) A very strong smell with a cute little buttercup bloom (be careful as this one may trigger those sensitive to hay fever.

• Rose (Summer) Roses picked in summer have a deeper scent, with homemade roses smelling more beautiful than store bought which are bred to last longer rather than smell sweet.

• Waxflower (also known as Geraldton Wax) An Australian native that is sure to impress with a lemon fragrance and adorable petals.

• Lavender (Spring/Summer) The most easily distinguishable scent, calming and relaxing, also very easy to grow in your garden.

Your flowers will stay fresher and brighter if you change the water regularly.

Other ways you can help your flowers last longer is to keep them out of direct sunlight or place them away from the edge of the bath or shower so they get less heat. They can also wilt under heated lights so move them out while these are on or keep the heat use to a minimum.

For a really beautiful and simple touch try hanging gum leaves over your showerhead. Use some string to tie up a bunch of eucalyptus leaves then loop the string over the showerhead so the leaves hang down. While you are taking a shower crush some of the leaves in your hand and allow the natural essence to join the steam for a sensational and healing effect.

There is every reason for every room in your home to be beautifully presented and sweetly smelling.