Potpourri from the Garden
Herbs?
Can they be potpourri too? Yes! Herbs are very aromatic. They could be dried and become very good naturally perfumed potpourri. Examples of herbs and plants with aromatic fragrances are scented-leaf geranium, lemon verbena, mint, bay, rose, marigold, lavender, rosemary, sage, spearmint, peppermint, heliotrope, basil, dill and flowers of chamomile.
Grasses for potpourri?
There are also many ornamental types of grass that have appealing fragrances. These grasses should be cut into pieces or rubbed in order for the fragrance to come out. Dry the grasses thoroughly and blend them with dried herbs and flowers. Examples of fragrant grasses are sweetgrass, citronella grass, lemongrass, sweet vernal grass and the scented grasslike plant which is called sweet flag.
Is it easy to make potpourri? Making a potpourri from your garden is easy. Just harvest the fragrant colourful flowers and foliage. Dry them and put them in a container or a bowl. Be sure to dry the harvested flowers and foliage thoroughly to avoid molds in the future.
If desired, you can add the fragrance of essential oil like rose or spice cinnamon to the dried flowers and leaves of herbs and grasses. A small amount of orris root can be added to your homemade potpourri as a preservative. This preservative can be bought in herb or plant nurseries.
