| Most of my perennials have come from Monrovia nursery. We have bought in the past from Sollecitos in Syr NY and most recently from Sunshine Produce in Fulton NY. People stop that we don't even know and want to know if they can look at our gardens. With fall fast approaching, I have been saving various flower petals and air drying them. That is about all I know at best about making potpourri. Would you please be kind enough to send me some information that would be a nice general recipe that would work on more than one type of flower or a mixture of many? Thank you in advance. Linda |
| The basics are pretty simple. Gently mix together fully dried fragrant or colorful flower petals and/or fillers such as small pine cones or cedar chips or cinnamon bark, etc. to create volume and texture. Add a drop or two of your favorite essential oil(s). Some recipes also call for a small amount of fixative such as the powdered orris root to help the fragrance "stick". Store covered for several weeks or months, stirring or shaking occasionally, to allow the fragrances to meld. Then seal into packages and give as gifts, or set out in a small dish to scent a room, or use as desired. Keep remainder sealed to preserve fragrance. Refresh opened potpourri with additional oil as needed. Keep in mind that the oils can be overpowering if overused. The essential oils (sold in tiny vials) are available at many craft stores, often at herb shops and sometimes by mail order, and also where aromatherapy supplies are sold. Here are a few examples of plant-specific recipes to give you an idea of the proportions that are typically suggested. You will need to cut and paste the urls into your browser to make them work correctly. Lavender Potpourri http://aggie-horticulture.tamu... Rose Potpourri http://aggie-horticulture.tamu... Potpourri http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/~robson... Enjoy your potpourri and congratulations on your lovely garden! |
