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Potpourri
A blend of fragrant flowers,
herbs, spices, and even barks, woods and fruit peels, a potpourri
can be sweet, spicy, crisp, woodsy or heady and exotic. Whatever
its mood or scent, all potpourris have certain things in common:
a blend of compatible fragrances, a fixative -- usually orris root
-- and time. Some have essential oils added to replace those lost
in drying, others have ingredients used just for looks, or to provide
air space so the scents can blend and ripen.
To make potpourri, follow
these steps:
- Mix thoroughly dry
plant material in a glass container large enough to allow for
stirring and blending -- a wide-mouth gallon jar is perfect.
- Sprinkle essential
oils onto chipped orris root and mix with the plant material.
- Cover jar and shake
well daily for two weeks.
Once it has ripened for
two weeks to blend and lose its initial "raw" smell, it
should keep for years. Always keep the container closed for at least
as many hours each day as it is open. This gives the plants time
to recover their fragrance. If you wish to display it in a glass
bowl, simply cover it each night with a plate.
To refreshen tired potpourri,
mist very lightly with hot water. Add one tablespoon orris root
and five drops of essential oil per pint and mix in a sealed jar
for two weeks as you did for new potpourri.
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