Creating Potpourri Arrangements
You can combine potpourri ingredients in different arrangements to enjoy a variety of scents and create a visually appealing display. Potpourri is a mix of dried flower petals, herbs, fruit peels and spices that can release a warm and evocative fragrance. Place it in decorative containers or sachets in your home to enjoy its aroma.
If you have a green thumb, plant a potpourri garden. Include scented roses, scented geraniums, thymes, bee balm, lavender, jasmine, sage, peppermint—any herb or flower whose scent you love is a good candidate for experimentation.
Pick the mix of flower petals you want to use for potpourri in the morning when their scent is strongest. Spread them out on a cookie sheet and leave them to dry for about two days. When the leaves are dry, fill a mason jar or another container about 1/2-inch full with petals. Sprinkle sea salt over the petals, and repeat, layering petals and salt until the jar is nearly full. Close the lid and put the jar in a dark place so that the flower petals continue to dry for about 12 days. Then, use a slotted spoon to separate the flower petals from the salt crystals. Arrange your dried flowers in a decorative container or use them to fill a sachet.
If you do not have a garden, you can create potpourri arrangements by purchasing fresh or dried blooms and herbs.
When you select a container to display your potpourri, consider the visual appeal of the flower petals and herbs. An autumn spice mix that includes dried apple rings, cinnamon sticks and cloves might look great in a basket or glass bowl where you can see all of the elements. A potpourri whose leaves tend to crumble, such as English lavender, might be best suited for a cotton sachet. To make a sachet, sew a small pillow-shaped container and fill it with the potpourri.
