We present a few potpourri recipes we think you will enjoy and hope they will bring back some fond memories of your own.
Capture the splendor of yesteryear when thoughts of running through a pumpkin patch to find that special prize was your number one goal. Or, think back when you could smell the aroma of cinnamon cookies baking in the oven. These are home-sweet-home moments and are so heart-warming to recall. When you combine aromatic spices, such as cloves and nutmeg with fragrant apples and oranges, you can create a harvest potpourri that is simply wonderful! And, it might even inspire you to bake a delicious pie with fresh sweet apples, creating new and enjoyable moments for all to remember.
To create a harvest potpourri that brings together the special scents of autumn this recipe is perfect.
Orange and Cinnamon Harvest
3 tbsp. dried apple slices
1/2 cup red carnation petals
2 tbsp. crumbled cinnamon or one 3-inch cinnamon stick1 whole nutmeg, grated to make 1 1/2 tsp.
1 tbsp. whole cloves1 tbsp. allspice
1 tbsp. sliced orange peel3 drops cinnamon-scented oil
4 dried star anise flowers
Directions for Drying Ingredients
Imagine entering a room filled with fragrant fresh roses or walking through a eucalyptus forest. Both the rose petal and eucalyptus leaf, with their distinct clean, crisp aromas, are perfect choices for a wonderful potpourri. By combining a mixture of dried flowers, leaves and spices displayed in small baskets, sachets and decorative candy dishes you can enjoy these scents every day. Strategically place potpourri throughout the house to allow the delicate scent to waft through the rooms. This romantic array of scents, sets the stage for a special evening for two.
Everything is Coming Up Roses!
Ingredients
1 cup pink rose petals1/2 cup red rose petals
1/2 cup white rose petals1/4 cup chamomile flowers
1/2 cup crushed statice flowers (blue or white)1/4 cup eucalyptus leaves
20 drops rose oil
Directions
Every other day, stir the contents gently to blend and disperse ingredients and scents. Take out portions of potpourri
as you need them and display in a candy dish.
Travel to the land of spices and intrigue of the Orient. Imagine dining in Hong Kong, enjoying a kaleidoscopic tour of Bangkok or spending a day on the majestic beaches of Bali. Not all of us have the opportunity to travel to distant lands, but we can create a notable ambiance in our homes reflecting these types of experiences. Using oriental interior design elements, serving fine dinners with an Oriental flair, and, of course, making some mysterious potpourri are all part of creating an intriguing atmosphere. You alone know which ingredients were used to bring together an exquisite and mysterious potpourri masterpiece. Follow me to the Oriental Express…
Oriental Jasmine Express
Ingredients
2 oz. each of rose petals, jasmine flowers and orange flowers
1 oz. each of sweet basil and sandalwood chips
1/4 oz. of ginger root, crushed and broken into small pieces
2 tsp. crushed anise seed
2 tsp. crushed coriander seed
2 tsp. crushed cummin seed
3 tbsp. gum benzoin
6 drops jasmine oil
Directions
Wearing rubber gloves, mix all ingredients except jasmine oil together in a glass bowl. When mixture is well blended, add oil and continue to mix with your hands. Keep stored in a tightly closed glass container until ready to use.
Important Tips for Improving Your Potpourri
There are many spices that work well together; bay leaf, coriander, allspice, mace, marjoram, nutmeg, rosemary, thyme, and sage are popular.
Some especially fragrant flowers for your mixture are orange blossoms, jasmine, carnations, hibiscus, violets, gardenias, honeysuckle, marigolds, sunflowers, and lavender.
Can’t find a certain flower or spice in the list above? Be creative and experiment. Use your imagination and combine different ingredients.
Collect flowers on a dry day or at least two days after it has rained. The best time is in the morning after the dew has dried but before the sun is high enough to have dried out the oils in the flowers. The ideal time is from 8 to 10 a.m.
Collect four times the amount of flowers you will need, as their weight decreases after they are dried.
Make sure your ingredients are completely dry, or your mixture will mold.
Don't use toxic sources. Only use ingredients that have not been treated with insecticides or fungicides.
Don’t use plastic bowls or utensils, as they will absorb the herbal scents and flavors and transfer them to other foods.
Avoid using metal bowls or utensils for handling potpourri except when using a knife; a plastic knife is always better to cut most of the ingredients; otherwise, the metal can react to the mixture and alter its fragrance. Use wood or plastic utensils to stir your potpourri projects.
When mixing or carrying, use baskets or vessels of enamel or ceramic.
Always use top-quality fragrance oils for a longer lasting potpourri. 
Do not finely ground potpourri ingredients. Petals of flowers should be lightly crushed.
Ingredients, such as cinnamon sticks or orange peels, should be broken into small pieces or finely chopped.
Add a fixative, such as powdered orris root, in your potpourri to absorb and hold the scent of the fragrance oil.
Having a special gathering? Top your potpourri with flower petals, shells or sea glass.
Take time to write down the ingredients you use. If you like a certain mix, you will have the exact recipe to recreate it.
Just like fine wine, potpourri takes a while to develop that special aroma. It needs to age for at least a month before it reaches its prime; so, be patient. Add a little extra fragrance oil when needed and stir the ingredients or shake the bag to mix.
Potpourri is a wonderful way to bring nature indoors. Autumn brings us many opportunities to enjoy our beautiful tropical area. Take walks everywhere to find and gather your special blend. Make it for yourself or create special holiday gifts for your friends and family; but, most of all, enjoy the scents of living in paradise!
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