How To Make Potpourri

Learning how to make potpourri is a great way to add unique and natural fragrance to your home.  Potpourri can be placed in small bowls in the home or wrapped in fabric to make sachets to freshen drawers or luggage.  This is a recipe for a simple spiced Lavender-Rose potpourri.

To make potpourri, you will need:

• Two cups dried rose petals
• One-half cup dried rose geranium leaves
• One-fourth cup dried lavender buds
• One cup carnation leaves
• One tablespoon dried lemon peel
• One tablespoon orange peel
• Two tablespoons marjoram
• One tablespoon whole cloves
• One bay leaf
• A few drops lavender oil

1. Collect flowers. You can often get discarded flowers from a florist or sometimes pick your own outside. Collect clean roses, rose geraniums, carnations, and lavender buds that are free of pests and have not been sprayed with any chemicals. Remember to pick more flowers than you need as the flowers will shrink down as they dry.
2. Dry the flowers. There are several ways to dry flowers and most take between one and two weeks. Hanging is one common way of drying flowers. Gather flowers into small bunches and tie the stems with string, and hang upside down. You can also lay flowers out on a window screen to dry. Place flowers in a dark place with good air circulation.
3. Prepare the spice mixture. Combine the lemon peel, orange peel, marjoram, and cloves. Crumble the bay leaf and mix it in.
4. Combine dried flowers and spices. Mix the two thoroughly to make the potpourri. Add a few drops of lavender oil—available at many natural grocery stores, craft stores, and beauty supply shops. Your potpourri is now ready to use throughout your home.
5. Get creative. Once you have mastered the basic steps of making potpourri, you can branch out. Experiment with various combinations of flowers, spices, and oils to create your own home fragrances.