There are two methods of making potpourri. One is the wet method where semi-dried flowers, petals, etc, are layered with coarse salt to cure and ferment them. Then there is the dry method where the ingredients are dried in a cool, dark place. With the dry method, the results will be much prettier.
Using the dry method, choose a covered jar, bowl, or vase if you want to scent the room occasionally or an open container for delicious wafts of fragrance. Assemble your dried ingredients and begin to layer them in your chosen container. Select one or two essential oils that complement your choices of herbs, leaves, pods, and flowers. One or two drops of oil is more than enough to infuse the container. Best choices for essential oils are lavender, peppermint, lemon grass, orange.
Flowers used in potpourri~ roses, marigold, zinnia, honeysuckle, pansies, rose of sharon.
Herbs used in potpourri~ lavender, lemon balm, basil, lemon basil, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, mint, calendula, sage, patchouli.
Spices, pods, nuts used in potpourri~ citrus peel, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, bark, nutshells, bay leaves, small pine cones.
Recipe~ Feminine~ Herb Garden Potpourri
6 tablespoons of peppermint or spearmint leaves
4 tablespoons of rosemary leaves
4 tablespoons of lemon balm leaves
4 tablespoons of lavender
2 tablespoons of marjoram leaves
1 tablespoon of sage leaves
Bay leaves, citrus, pods
Recipe~ Masculine ~ Forest Potpourri
2 cups of red cedar chips
Some dried florist moss
Pine cones, pods, nuts, cinnamon bark, whole cloves, eucalyptus leaves, 1 drop of eucalyptus oil
Potpourri is French for “rotten pot”
Spring is a great time to sort through herbs and spices that have passed their expiration date. Instead of tossing them away, combine them in jars or baskets and create a wonderful fragrance to welcome in warmer days and gentle breezes.
~ Meadow Walker
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