Making homemade potpourri can be a simple and fun way to boost your home’s scent and impress any guests that you may be expecting. We’ve been inspired by summertime to include scents such as orange blossom, basil, rose, jasmine, neroli, and bergamot. We’ll let you know how you can create your very own floral homemade potpourri using scents inspired by the season.

What you’ll need:

  • Fresh or pre-dried flowers; we recommend roses, lavender or anything you can find in your garden
  • Essential oils of choice
  • 2 tbsp Orris Root Powder (this can be found at most herbal or health shops)
  • Baking paper
  • Metal cooling rack
  • Baking tray

Method

Step 1: Prep your flowers

You can dry your flowers naturally, but if you would like to speed up the process, we recommend drying them in the oven. Make sure to remove any thick stems or leaves attached to your flowers before starting as these will take a while to dry out. You can use a mixture of whole buds and loose petals.

Step 2: Drying your flowers

Line a baking tray with a sheet of baking paper and place a metal cooling rack over the top. Lay the flowers evenly across the rack, then place in the oven on a low heat of 120C/100 fan/gas mark 1 for 1-2 hours until they are fully dehydrated. Make sure to remove any that have finished drying early to ensure that they don’t burn. Once your flowers have finished drying, allow them to fully cool.

Step 3: Add your oils

Once cooled, you can now begin to add your choice of essential oils, incorporating seasonal scents such as orange blossom, basil and bergamot. Place your flowers on a sheet of baking paper and add 5-10 drops of essential oils over the top of the flowers and petals. To make sure that all the flowers are coated, gently toss your flowers in the oil.

Step 4: Make it last

After adding your oils, you will then need to add your Orris Root Powder. This is the key to allowing your potpourri scent to last longer. Add 1-2 tablespoons of powder and toss gently until covered. To finish off, place your potpourri in a beautiful bowl for everyone to admire.

Top tip: Why not add some dried citrus fruits or cinnamon sticks to add an extra something to your décor?

For more information, check out the Feel Good Hub and enjoy more crafts.