Making Potpourri

Harvesting Your Ingredients:

Handle your herbs and flowers carefully to avoid bruising them. Once the have been bruised you will have lost any value in them for their essential oils.

The best time to collect leaves, roots, flowers and seeds is in the early morning after the dew has evaporated.

Choose plants that are clean, free of any pests or diseases. Choose flowers that are newly opened.

*Always collect 4 times the amount you will need for the final potpourri mix as flowers, leaves etc will shrink when dried.

Drying Methods

The drying process usually takes up to 2 weeks in general. Keep in a warm dark place that has good air circulation. There are two processes for drying flowers and herbs.

Air Drying: Using a window screen works quite well. It allows air circulation around the plant material. Place the flowers and or herbs on a single layer. Do not pack them tightly together or on top of each other or they will decompose. Takes about one week to be completely dried out.

Hanging: Fasten together several small bunches, tie the stems off with elastics or string. Hang them upside down to dry out.

Storing The Potpourri

Store your "New" potpourri in airtight containers or plastic bags. Store in a cool dark place until needed.

Making the Potpourri

To make the potpourri you basically need four main ingredients: 

Flowers & Leaves

Essential Oils

Spices and Herbs

Fixative

 

 

Recipes

General Instructions: After Potpourri is made and dried, add 6 drops of your favorite essential oil to every cup of dried potpourri mix. Keep it in a closed container for a few weeks to allow scent to penetrate plant material. Stir the mixture daily.

Purple Passion

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup dried Lavender (purple)
  • 7-8 drops Lavender Essential Fragrance Oil
  • 2 tablespoons dried Orris Root
  • 1/2 cup pink Carnation Flower Heads
  • 1/2 cup (bright yellow) Lemon Marigold Flower Heads
  • 1/4 cup (pale green) Lamb's Ears Leaves

 

Dreams of Glory

  • 1/2 cup (blue) Delphinium Blossoms
  • 1 cup dried (red) Rose Buds
  • 1/2 cup (white) Pearly Everlasting
  • 1/2 cup (blue) Statice
  • 4-6 drops Rose Essential Fragrance Oil
  • 2 tablespoons dried Orris Root

 

Spring Delight

  • 2 tablespoons dried Orris Root
  • 5 tablespoons Bearberry Leaves
  • 6-8 drops Lemon Essential Fragrance Oil
  • 1/2 cup dried Yarrow BLossoms
  • 1/2 cup Lemon Verbena
  • 1/4 cup dried Safflower Flowers
  • 1/4 cup Orange Peels finely sliced & dried

 

Wild Flowers

  • 1/4 cup dried Elder Flowers
  • 2 tablespoons dried Orris Root
  • 1/4 cup Chamomile Flower Heads
  • 1/4 cup Bearberry Leaves
  • 1/2 cup Calendula (Marigold) Flower Heads
  • 2 drops Lavender Essential Fragrance Oil

 

Imbolg Potpourri

  • 43 drops of Myrrh Oil
  • 1 cup Oak Moss
  • 2 cups of dried Heather Flowers
  • 2 cups of Wisteria
  • 1 cup of dried Tulip Petals
  • 1/2 cup of dried Basil
  • 1/2 cup dried and chopped Bay Leaves

Mix Myrrh and Oak Moss together, then add remaining things.  Store in a tightly covered container.

 

Note:
 
Orris Root helps to preserve the fragrance of the herbs and flowers, it has little scent of its own so it is a good base to use in your potpourri mix. Orris is made from the dried root of the Florentine Iris.  Use 1-2 tablespoons of the dried Orris Root per cup of dried potpourri mix.

 

 

Making Sachets

Combine 2 cups of rose leaves with 1-3/4 cups vetiver root, 1-1/2 cups patchonly herb and 3/4 cup mace.  Fill little cotton bags with the mixture and tie with a ribbon.

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Combine 3/4 cup calamus root, 1/2 cup caraway seeds, 1/4 cup ground cloves, 2 cups lavender flowers, 1 cup marjoram, 1 cup mint, 2 cups rose leaves, 1/2 cup rosemary and 1/4 cup thyme.  Mix Well.

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Combine 1/4 cup orrisroot, 4 cups lavender flowers, 3 cups patchonly herb, 1/4 cup ground cloves, 1 cup deerstongue leaves and 1/2 cup ground allspice. Add 10 drops oil of rose, 10 drops oil of lavender, 12 drops oil of neroli and 1/4 tsp. oil of sandalwood.  Mix well.

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Combine 4 cups cassie flowers, 1/4 cup orrisroot powder and 1/2 cup starch.  Mix well.

 

 

 

 

Midi "Butterfly" is
used with permission 
copyright © 2001  Bruce DeBoer

Artwork by Mary Englebriet

 

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