Making your own potpourri is easy, fun and worthwhile. Welcome to the Blog today as we talk about preserving scents from the garden and putting them to use.
Start with a drying rack. You can then make a quick trip to Lowe’s or Home Depot and purchase a pre-made window screen. These come in different sizes so make sure you bring some measurements with you. The same size screen will work on all three levels.
When the screens are in place in a dry room with good air circulation add your petals, mint leaves, lavender buds, etc. to the screens. Keep them in a single layer. Allow the floral material to dry for several days. Then store in an airtight container or plastic ziplock until needed.
When you are ready to make the potpourri select a large bowl. It helps if the bowl is pretty. I’m not sure why that is the case but…..trust me…..it’s important.
Assemble all your materials. They will include all the plant material you dried as well as Orris Root (a fixative) and Natural Oil ( I used Lavender Oil for this mix). You’ll need something to stir with…..you can use your hands if you want to.
I started with some red rose petals then added dried mint leaves and some dried hydrangea. Next I added some different rose petals and some lavender buds.
Finally, I added some ground Orris Root and some Lavender Oil. The amount really depends on how much potpourri you are preparing. I used about a teaspoon of Orris Root and a teaspoon of Lavender Oil for this bowl of potpourri.
Mix it all together thoroughly. Toss lightly so as not to crumble the plant material.
Store the potpourri in a plastic bag and put in a cool, dark place for a couple of weeks to “cure”. This will allow the scent to be absorbed in the Orris Root and fixed in the potpourri.
When the potpourri is ready you can package it in pretty bags like these and place them in drawers with your linens, clothing, or even cupboards with dishes.
Or just place it in bowls around the house and enjoy the fresh scent that permeates your rooms. The colors are wonderful and look terrific in a really pretty bowl. Enjoy!