Using essential oils to fragrance potpourri
Last week I made some potpourri using dried leaves from my garden. This week I am boosting the fragrance of the potpourri by adding essential oils.
I had hoped that my combination of lemon balm leaves, peppermint and scented leaf pelargoniums might have enough scent to fragrance my sitting room, but in retrospect it needs a bit of a boost.
Add a few drops of essential oil to a teaspoon of orris root powder
I had about a litre of dried leaves, so I measured out a teaspoon of orris root powder and added 3 drops each of lemon balm and rose geranium oil plus 2 drops peppermint by dripping them onto the spoon.
I then sprinkled the oil/powder mix over the dried leaf mixture and sealed them into a tupperware container to mature. I’ll leave them in there for about 10 days, shaking occasionally. (You can leave the potpourri up to 6 weeks to mellow but I haven’t the patience!)
I know the potpourri won’t be pretty when it comes out, but the fragrance should be heavenly.
Shopping links for orris root powder and fragrance oils
Buy orris root powder – this stops the essential oils evaporating straight away.
If you don’t want to wait the 10 days, you could omit the orris root powder and use fragrance oils instead of essential oils – just leave in tupperware overnight to permeate (aromatherapy effects may be lost). Buy fragrance oils
[Avoid contact of essential oils & fragrance oils with polished, painted & synthetic surfaces, textiles & skin.]