Making your own Potpourri

Story by: Will Funk - Photos by: Gene Sasse

So you have a garden full of fragrant roses but would like to bring their scent into your home.  Of course you can always clip a bouquet or two and place them inside.  But what about capturing that mesmerizing aroma to perfume you home for months to come?  Consider making potpourri with your favorite roses and other fragrant garden plants.

Select your favorite scented roses and clip them soon after they unfurl.  Great scented choices include the licorice candy and spice Julia Child, the fruit and rose scent of Falling in Love or the sweet spice breeze of Scentimental.  Collect more plants than you think you will need; the flowers will shrink considerably once dried. 

Dry the plants for about two weeks by either placing the flowers and petals on a screen or other flat surface or hanging them by their stems in loose bunches.  The important part here is to encourage air circulation.  If plants are bunched too tightly or if they are covering one another on a drying sheet they will mold and rot.   

To compliment rose petals you can also select whole, small buds from miniature roses.  Additional plants such as lavender and other scented garden favorites can be used to compliment both the scent and texture of your potpourri.  Even items like small pine cones or leaves can be added for a seasonal effect.  Once dried place your mixture in an air-tight container stored in a cool, dark location.

There are many great recipes for potpourri available in books and on the internet.  Most agree to add a “fixer” such as Orris root or oak moss to the mixture.  This will increase the longevity of the mixture.  You can also include oils with your potpourri to add additional scent or rejuvenate your blend as the natural scent wanes.

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