For me, the appeal of potpourri goes beyond decoration; it has a comforting sense of nostalgia, reminiscent of childhood memories. And now, crafting my own blends has become a fun activity for me and my girls- we love to mix and match scents and colours, plus I found homemade potpourri is a great talking point when I’m hosting!
I love to spread it around the house, arranged in pretty dishes, antique bowls (here’s my guide on how to find the perfect antique treasures for your home) or my Concha dish and it’s lovely to adorn windowsills, on top of the mantle, and on the coffee table but you can also place it in fabric sachets and add them to your drawers and closets to add a lovely natural scent to your clothes.
Lately, I've been experimenting with delicious Spring scents and flowers. But I do love changing up the fragrances seasonally, from delicate fruity scents in Summer to warm spices in Autumn and Winter.
Find my favourite potpourri mixes below and how to make them:
I combine all my ingredients and tightly seal them all in a glass jar or container and store them in a warm, dry place for 4-5 days allowing enough time for the scents to infuse together and then voila - your homemade potpourri!
Note that all ingredients used here are dried. Make sure that flowers are bone dry before using as this will affect the smell. You can buy all these ingredients below pre-dried but to dry your own flowers simply lay all the petals/buds/springs on a large baking tray and leave in a dark, warm dry spot for 2 days or put in the oven on the lowest temperature until dried. The same applies for citrus and fruits.
Spring:
- Lavender buds: 2 tbsp
- Rose petals: 1 handful
- Lemon zest: 1 lemon
- Chamomile flowers: 1 handful
- Mint leaves: 3-4 leaves
- Dried jasmine flowers: 1 handful
Summer:
- Citrus slices (lemon, lime, orange): 2 fruits
- Eucalyptus leaves: 1 handful
- Lavender buds: 2 tablespoons
- Rosemary sprigs: 4-5 sprigs
- Peppermint leaves: 4-5 leaves
Autumn:
- Cinnamon sticks: 1-2 sticks (depending on size)
- Cloves: 1 tablespoon
- Dried apple slices: 1 apple
- Orange peel: 1 orange
- Nutmeg: 1 teaspoon
- Star anise: 1 teaspoon
Winter:
- Pine needles: 2 tbsp
- Dried cranberries: 2 tbsp
- Vanilla pods: 1-2 pods (split)
- Cinnamon sticks: 2-3 sticks (depending on size)
-
Cardamom pods: 1 tbsp
Feel free to adjust the proportions of each ingredient to suit your personal preference. You can also add essential oils like rose, eucalyptus or vanilla to enhance the fragrance and longevity of the potpourri mix. Don’t forget to stir or shake to release the scent every now and then.
