A Scented Journey Through the Seasons of Mzansi.  

Use Scents to Bring the Seasons Into Your Home.  

Smell is memory’s favourite trickster.  

A single whiff of wood smoke, jasmine, or rain drenched tar can unlock entire chapters of life you didn’t even realise you still carried. In South Africa, a country stitched together by landscapes, cultures, and climates, scent is often the background soundtrack of our lives. As the seasons change, so too does the aromatic mood board around us, whispering stories of comfort, celebration, and belonging. Each new smell tells us where we are, who we are and most importantly – where we are headed.  

Winter Whiffs: Fires, Fields, and Stew Pots 

Winter in South Africa may not come with heavy snow, but it does come with its own unique perfume. There’s the unmistakable aroma of fireplaces—wood crackling, sparks leaping, and that smoky scent that sneaks into your scarf and follows you indoors. It’s comforting, almost like being hugged by the house itself. 

Then there are veld fires, a more bittersweet scent. At first, the air smells sharp, dry, and crackly, and then, after the flames have passed, the veld releases a strangely soothing, earthy after-smell—a promise that life will push through the ash. 

If you grew up spending weekends on dusty sports fields in winter, you’ll know the smell of cold morning grass mixed with earth churned by rugby boots or soccer studs. There’s grit, dust, and pride all tangled in those fields. 

And of course, the ultimate winter smell: a lekker lamb stew slowly bubbling in the slow cooker. The scent creeps through the house hour by hour, so much so that by lunchtime you’re already convinced you’re starving. Potatoes, carrots, rosemary, and that unmistakable rich meatiness—it’s the culinary equivalent of a knitted blanket. 

Spring and Summer Aromas: Blooms, Braais, and Thunderstorms 

Just when winter scents fade, spring announces itself with jasmine. That first bloom is so heady, so sweet, it feels like the plant is grabbing you by the nostrils and shouting: “Wake up, the world’s alive again!” Walking past a garden fence abundant with jasmine flowers feels like falling into a perfumed dream. 

Then, in summer, the comforting haze of a Saturday afternoon braai fills the air. There’s boerewors sizzling, garlic bread warming, and the occasional flare of fire licking marinade off chicken pieces. It’s more than just food—it’s friendship, laughter, and the slow hum of life lived outdoors. Ad a lekker splash of HTH saturated swimming pool water and you’ve got summer up your nose! 

Snotty sneezes (and sunshine) 

Spring and summer also bring the explosion of pollen—less romantic, perhaps, when your nose is streaming—but even that powdery tickle in the air signals renewal. For many, it’s the smell of longer days and open windows, of sneezes but also the start of sunny days 

Then Comes the Rain! 

And nothing—nothing—beats the scent of the first rain on hot earth (or tar!). That earthy petrichor rises like a gift after weeks of dry heat, filling the air with freshness. South Africans know this smell instinctively—it’s the one that sends children running outside barefoot and adults pausing mid-sentence just to breathe deeper. Add the fizzy ozone smell of a proper Highveld thunderstorm and you KNOW it’s summer baby! 

Scents of Place: Knowing Where You Are Without Opening Your Eyes 

South Africa is a tapestry, and its scents are woven just as finely as its landscapes. Step out of your car and take a sniff, and you’ll know exactly where you are. 

On the West Coast, the air carries the cool tang of the Atlantic, mixed with the sharp herbal notes of fynbos. There’s salt, sage, and something ancient about the smell of those windswept shores. 

Head to Durban, and you’re greeted by the frangipani trees in bloom—a sweet, tropical perfume that feels almost indulgent in its richness. Add the backdrop of tropical humidity, and the air becomes a scented embrace that clings to your skin. 

Travel inland to the Bosveld, and the scents shift again. Acacia blooms release their honeyed fragrance into the dry air, savannah grasses add a warm, sunbaked aroma, and if you’re near a thatched roof bungalow, that unique, slightly grassy, slightly smoky smell wraps around you. It’s wild, it’s raw, it’s unmistakably the bushveld. 

This is the magic of scent: it welcomes you to a place before your eyes have even had a chance to adjust. 

Bringing It Home: Curating Your Own Scentscape 

While the outdoors provides a kaleidoscope of seasonal smells, our homes can too—if we pay a little attention. Embracing seasonal scents indoors is about more than lighting a candle or spraying a room freshener; it’s about storytelling. 

Subtle Shifts For Your Senses 

In winter, lean into comforting smells. A pot of soup or stew simmering all day, spiced teas, and the faint smoke of a log fire (or even a wood-scented candle if you’re city-bound). In spring and summer, fresh flowers like jasmine, roses, or proteas can instantly transform a room. A simple bowl of citrus peels or a few sprigs of rosemary in a vase can be surprisingly uplifting. 

Be Wary of Bad Air! 

Curating a scentscape also means keeping the less desirable smells in check. No one wants their home to smell like wet dog or yesterday’s fish braai. A good cleaning routine, open windows, and the occasional use of natural deodorisers (think vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, or even just a vase of eucalyptus leaves) can keep pests and pet smells at bay. 

Top tip: Make a deal with one of your friends or family members that they will tell you immediately if your home has a bad smell…Whether it is pet or plumbing related.  The gross truth is that you tend to get used to a smell, which means that you wont pick up on an unpleasant whiff is you smell it every day.  

Most importantly, your scentscape should reflect you. Maybe that means coffee beans ground fresh every morning, or the faint trace of incense in the evenings, or even the comfort of freshly baked rusks cooling on the counter. 

Smells are fleeting but powerful.  

They tell us where we’ve been, mark where we are, and remind us of what we love. Whether it’s a veld fire in the distance, a braai smoke curling into the air, jasmine on the wind, a roadside shisanyama or a pot of stew bubbling at home—South Africa is rich in scents that make us feel deeply, laugh warmly, and remember fondly. 

So next time you pause to breathe in the smell of rain on hot paving, or wood smoke on a crisp winter’s evening, don’t just note it—savour it. After all, these scents aren’t just fragrances. They’re the very fabric of home.