Contents

Step 1: Gather potpourri ingredients

Step 2: Dry the potpourri ingredients

Step 3: Mix the ingredients and let them sit

Step 4: Arrange the potpourri in a pretty container

Making potpourri is easy and fun, with a distinctly creative twist. It’s up to you to invent your recipe using this handy sheet’s basic suggestions and tips. Let’s get it started in here! Dried citrus flowers and slices, fragrant leaves, spices…

1. Gather the ingredients for the potpourri

You can use several ingredients in a potpourri: mainly dried flowers and leaves, dried citrus slices, spices and herbs, and iris rhizome powder. A few drops of essential oils can be added if desired.

There is no set rule for choosing the components of your potpourri. Let your sense of smell and what you have on hand guide you.

Flowers: fragrant roses in petals or buds, lavender, lily of the valley, jasmine, wallflowers, violets, lilacs, carnations… And also for colour: marigold and iris petals, borage flowers, blueberries…

Leaves: fragrant geranium, mint, lemon balm, marjoram, basil, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme… And why not tea!

Spices and herbs: you can use cinnamon sticks or cinnamon powder, vanilla beans, cloves, star anise, coriander, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger…

Citrus slices: dried; they both scent and decorate your rotten pots.

Iris rhizome powder (optional): iris rhizome powder is useful for fixing the fragrance of potpourri.

Essential oils (optional): if you wish, you can reinforce the scent of your potpourri with EO such as rose, geranium, citrus (lemon, orange, bergamot), etc.

Tip: you can also collect the needles from your Christmas tree after the holidays!

2. Dry the potpourri ingredients

Dry the flowers and leaves

There are 3 methods to dry the flowers and leaves:

1. Microwave: cover a plate with a piece of paper towel. Place the petals, leaves or flower buds on the plate and heat for 2-3 minutes in the microwave until the petals, leaves or buds become crisp.
2. Conventional oven: Spread the plants on the broiler pan and dry them in a warm oven (140°C) for about an hour with the door ajar.
3. Air-dry: lay the vegetables on a sheet of paper (newspaper, for example) and let them dry for about a week in the shade.

Dry citrus slices

Cut citrus fruits into thin slices.

Dry them in a traditional oven, as explained above, but for a long time until there is no trace of moisture.

3. Mix the ingredients and let them rest

In an airtight box, gather your chosen ingredients. Let your imagination run wild and do your experimentation. However, here are two examples of possible mixes:

Mix #1

• 1 large handful of dried rose petals,
• 1 few rosebuds,
• 1 sprig of dried rosemary,
• 1 stick of cinnamon,
• 1 clove,
• slices of dried orange,
• few drops of geranium essential oil (optional).

Mixture No. 2:

• 100 g dried lavender,
• 1 stick of cinnamon,
• 6 cloves,
• 3-star anise,
• 1 pinch of nutmeg,
• few dried mint leaves,
• slices of dried lemon,
• few drops of geranium essential oil (optional).

If you wish, add 25 to 50 g of iris powder, depending on the volume of the potpourri.

Shake the whole and let it rest for 15 days in a dark place, shaking again from time to time.

4. Place the potpourri in an attractive container

Transfer the potpourri to a pretty dish.

If you wish, add a few drops of essential oils at this time (5 drops are sufficient).

Keep the potpourri for two months and then replace it.

Materials needed to make a potpourri

Airtight boxes for refrigerator

Cups

Paper towels

Essential oils

Newspaper

Remember to share your experience in the comments below!