Potpourri making – Traditional method
Traditional potpourri making
In the traditional method of potpourri making, the scent you create is 100% natural and may have aromatherapy properties.
Dried flowers are mixed together with a few drops of essential oil and a small amount of fixative such as orris root powder.
This method is used less frequently these days in favour of quicker methods.
You will need:
- Potpourri base – dried flowers, petals, leaves, pods, dried fruit etc
- Essential oils (not home fragrance oils)
- Fixative – ground spice or orris root powder to make the fragrance last
- Something to mix them in e.g. old tupperware
Method:
- Seal all the ingredients inside a tupperware box or plastic container
- Shake thoroughly to mix
- Place the box in a warm dark place
- Leave for about six weeks to allow the fragrance to develop
- Shake every couple of weeks
You may wish to add decorative toppers to your potpourri bowl. This may be the case if your flower colours have faded a little after the potpourri has developed.
Be sure to follow these safety tips
Potpourri recipe example
A simple potpourri making recipe would use about 25% dried lavender by weight mixed with rose buds and rose petals, a sprinkle of orris root powder fixative, and a few drops of rose and lavender essential oils.
Traditional potpourri making: Dried flower combinations for different parts of the house
Nearly all traditional potpourri making recipes I’ve seen include dried lavender. This is fragrant, plentiful and has a scent associated with cleanliness (in fact the name is derived from the Latin for “To wash”).
For the kitchen: Try adding dried herbs to a base of dried lavender, with lavender and rosemary essential oils.
In the bedroom: The traditional lavender/rose mix is great for bedrooms, as the lavender aids your sleep while the rose element is for romance.
For the bathroom: Clean smelling dried lavender with dried citrus and orange and/or lemon oil – this one will also help wake you up in the morning!
Want to learn more? Potpourri making – the basics
Want to make it quicker? Modern methods
On the blog:
Why you don’t need orris root powder to make potpourri – you may have something else you can use in your kitchen cupboard!
If you have any questions about potpourri making – traditional methods, just contact us!