Slowly but surely spring appears to be making its long overdue arrival – we even had some sun this weekend, much to everyone’s surprise! It’s at this time of year that most fragrance lovers are feeling the itch for scents that are brighter, lighter and more luminous – scents that fit the joyful, vibrant mood of the spring – and for me this means florals.

There is nothing on this planet I love more than a good flora, not even my cats (sorry boys), and whilst I don’t necessarily need to wait for spring to rock the flowers (I will wear them anytime) it is in the warmer months that these floral perfumes really come alive.

To get in you in the mood for the impending spring I have selected five floral perfumes that make up a beautiful bouquet that is guaranteed to put a spring in your step – there’s a lily, two orange blossoms, a jasmine and something a little bit more abstract – and all five will give you that much needed taste of spring.

Aqua Allegoria Lys Soleia by Guerlain

Guerlain’s Aqua Allegoria line is a series of nature-inspired ditties that tend to feature a particular note or accord in a young, light and effervescent manner, and last year’s instalment – Lys Soleia – is no exception.

Built around a big, fleshy bouquet of lilies, Lys Soleia is a sun-soaked floral that oozes with spring sunshine. The opening blast is awash with lemon and the salty, almost peppery quality of lilies in full bloom accented by tropical ylang-ylang, adding a cool, green banana skin nuance.

The base is all about soft, transparent vanilla that gives a milky, sun-lotion feel with a delicious edge. Lys Soleia is a scent alive with nature, you can almost hear the bees in the air when you’re wearing it and since its launch last year it has become my go to spring/summer staple.

Fleur du Mâle by Jean Paul Gaultier

This one is for the boys who dare to be a little bit different and aren’t afraid of the premise of a floral fragrance. Fleur du Mâle not only takes the barbershop vibe of Jean Paul Gaultier’s original Le Mâle but intensifies it by adding a huge dollop of orange blossom to create a fragrance that can only be described as a ‘loud and proud floral for boys’.

The orange blossom in Fleur du Mâle is reminiscent of ripe buds soaked in pollen. It is so intensely floral that at times it almost has a rubbery vibe to it that adds a little discord to the proceedings. This effect lasts long in to the dry down where it is joined by powder, coumarin and sweet vanilla.

It should be mandatory for all guys to wear this one…

Alien by Thierry Mugler

Alien is a floral unlike no other – an intergalactic jasmine that I’m pretty sure is perhaps the only fragrance that can be smelled from space. What makes Alien so interesting is the blend of a fluorescent, radiant jasmine with the fuzzy woodiness of cashmeran – a woody, musky note that weighs the floral tones down and stops them from flying off in to the atmosphere.

What I love about Alien is that it has a real ‘high fashion’ vibe to it – like a piece of runway couture it shocks and stuns with both its audacity and its beauty. Excellently crafted it is for those who wish to add a touch of diva to their scented wardrobe this spring.

Esprit d’Oscar by Oscar de la Renta

Whereas the other florals on this list tend to showcase one distinct flower, Esprit d’Oscar is an abstract floral that evokes the smell of an imagined bouquet of floral notes, each cast in varying shades and hues of colour. Hidden within its heart there are flashes of grey iris powder, green stripes of jasmine and tropical white pearls of orange blossom and tuberose.

Esprit d’Oscar is a contemporary take on classic fragrances from two genres, worlds apart. It takes big flowery cues from Oscar de la Renta’s 1980s original as well as sharing an anisic, powdery quality of Guerlain’s 1912 creation L’Heure Bleue to create a subtle, understated and contemporary floral perfect for those warmer spring days.

Fleurs d’Oranger by Serge Lutens

Orange blossom is a flower that encapsulates the spirit of both spring and summer. It is the smell of sweet citrus and white flowers carried on the warm, care-free air of the brighter months and can, depending on how it is used, smell either clean and fresh or filthy and erotic.

Serge Lutens opts to go for the erotic with Fleurs d’Oranger, a fragrance which pairs the indolic white petals of orange blossom with the human funk of a cumin giving the impression of hot, naked skin. Jasmine and tuberose are added into the mix and together with the orange zest in the opening they ensure that Fleurs d’Oranger doesn’t become an all-out skank fest.

Beautiful, voluptuous and bright, Fleurs d’Oranger will warm up any romantic spring evening whilst being casual and versatile enough to be worn during the day – I for one wear it to the office with pride…

What are your favourite spring florals?