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You can use almost anything in your garden to make an aromatic potpourri mixture. Traditionally, potpourri is a mixture of dried flowers and other ingredients, placed in open containers, like small bowls or cups and placed to allow their aroma to delicately scent the room.

Sachets are usually small cloth “pillows” containing potpourri, which can be used almost anywhere. Sachets have the advantage of being portable, you can place them in drawers, pin them to pillows, or carry them in your purse wherever you go.

Generally, potpourri ingredients should not be finely ground, petals of flowers should be lightly crushed. Ingredients such as Cinnamon sticks or Orange peels should be broken into small pieces or finely chopped.

Some flowers that are especially good to use in potpourri are roses, carnations, hibiscus, violets, sunflowers, and lavendar. Some herbs that work well in potpourri are Chamomile, Lavender, Thyme, Sage and Rosemary. Eucalyptus leaves are a nice addition to any potpourri. You shouldn’t limit yourself to this list however. Experiment, use your imagination and whatever you have at hand.

For all the following recipes, start with bone dry flowers, leaves, herbs and spices.

POTPOURRI RECIPES:

Essence of Rose

Ingredients:

* 1 cup pink rose petals
* 1/2 cup red rose petals
* 1/2 cup white rose petals
* 1/4 cup Chamomile flowers
* 1/2 cup crushed statice (blue or white)
* 1/4 cup Eucalyptus leaves
* 1/4 cup oakmoss
* 20 drops rose oil

Gently combine petals and leaves in a large bowl. Scatter drops of rose oil over the mixture using an eyedropper. Stir gently. Place mixture in a brown paper bag lined with wax paper. Fold and seal the bag with a paper clip and leave in a dry, dark, cool place for 2 weeks. Every other day, stir the contents gently to blend and disperse ingredients and scents. Place in glass bowls or candy dishes. Top with small white or pink rose buds.

Floral 1

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.

Floral 2

Combine

* 10 marigold blossoms
* 6 Geranium leaves
* 5 rose blossoms
* 2 tsp dried Lavender
* 2 tsp orris root
* 2 drops rose fixative

Spice

Combine 1/4 cup Orrisroot, 4 cups Lavender flowers, 3 cups Patchouli, 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.

Cassie

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

Pine

Combine:

* 1/2 cup Bayberry leaves
* 1/2 cup snipped balsam needles
* 1/2 cup miniature Pine cones
* 1/2 cup rose hips
* 2 tsp orris root
* 2 drops Pine-scented fixative

Mix the Bayberry, balsam, Pine cones and rose hips in a large bowl. Add the Orrisroot and fixative and stir gently. This makes a great Christmas potpourri!

More stuff…

Processed Corn Cob Additive - Put some ground corn cob material (sold as cellulose, or litter material at your Walmart or pet store) in a jar. Add several drops of essential oil, place lid on jar and shake. Shake jar about once every day or so for about 10 days. Add it to your potpourri to give body and help hold the scent.

Potpourri Filler - If you don’t have enough dried flowers to make potpourri, or if you just need some filler, remember you can use almost anything in your mixture. Pine cones (whole or just the petals), bark, leaves, etc. Orris root is commonly used as a filler/fixative. Another alternative is to buy a “Filler”. Check out this product from The Flower Petal SACHETS

A sachet is simply potpourri in a fabric container, such as a small bag or pillow. Sachets can be made from almost any material. Fabrics that breathe well are best, so that the scent of the sachet can escape into the air. Good fabrics to use are cotton, linen, silk, and muslin.

One very simple idea is to buy old lace handkerchiefs at garage sales or flea markets. Put a few spoonfuls of your potpourri mixture into the center of the handkerchief, draw up the ends, and tie with a ribbon to make a small pouch.

Another simple sachet can be made using any old fabric. Cut a small rectangular strip about 4″ x 11″. Fold in half (wrong side out) and stitch up both sides. Turn inside out. (If you don’t sew, you can use fabric glue instead!) Spoon in potpourri mixture, filling pouch about 1/2 way. Gather at the top of the mixture and tie with a ribbon.

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This entry was posted on Sunday, April 30th, 2006 at 2:31 pm and is filed under Aromatherapy, Reference Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.