Volume 2, Issue 9                                                                      September 2001

'Tis the Season for Potpourri

While using essential oils in ways I've described in the past allows you to make use of the inhaled as well as the absorbed properties of the plants, dry potpourri can provide a lovely addition to your environment.

This is an excellent time of year to harvest your favorite plants to make your own potpourri mix. Your plants have provided color and fragrance all summer, but most of them will start going to seed or withering as weather changes occur in the upcoming months. Preserve some of them now for enjoyment during the winter months.

The first thing you will want to do is select a beautiful container for your potpourri. Check out flea markets and antique shops for crystal bowls, porcelain bowls, sterling silver bowls, tin boxes, or hand-braided baskets. Select a style and type of container that complements the style of your home or office. Try to find a container that has its own lid. Dry potpourri needs to be covered once in a while so the fragrance will last longer. But don't uncover it only when company arrives .... make your everyday life fragrant as well.

Once you know the size of your container you can estimate how much plant material it will take to generously fill it.

Now it's time to make a trip to the garden and select an assortment of blooms to start your potpourri. Make your selection from fragrant plants as well as non-scented plants that can provide color and bulk to your mix. Select plants which look healthy and lush, and gently shake out any insects the flower may be harboring. You'll want to look for several things:

1) Large-petaled flowers which can be separated petal by petal - roses, cosmos, daisies, etc. You can cut these flowers with short stems as for this application you will be removing the petals.

2) Small-petaled flowers you can use whole as a filler and for color - lavender, miniature mums, statice, pinks, etc. Leave the stems on these flowers as long as possible. You'll need the lengthy stems in order to hang them.

3) Interesting leaves, nuts, and fruits. Use a vegetable peeler to make curling strands of lemon, lime, grapefruit, or orange peel. Slice an apple very thin in a crosswise direction. Do the same with some citrus fruit. let them dry slowly on a cookie sheet in a warm oven.

4) Spices (supplement from your spice cabinet if necessary).

I like to dry large petals on a newspaper or wax paper on an out of the way table or counter. Carefully remove each petal from the flower. Lay them on the paper in a single layer with a bit of space between them. Let them dry for at least a couple of days without disturbing them. Once they start to dry, carefully turn them to the other side, so that all the moisture can be removed. Dry your interesting leaves this way as well.

Gently remove all the leaves from each stem. They frequently discolor or dry in distorted shapes. Carefully gather five or six stems of the plant in your hand with the flower heads facing down. Place a rubber band on the last two inches of the stems to hold the bunch together. Hang the bunch from a clothes-drying rack, a hanger, or an indoor clothesline.

Once your flowers are completely dry it is time to start creating your own potpourri mix. Start with your loose petals and make an exuberant collection of colors by gently mixing them in your container. (If your container is a basket, line it with foil. Otherwise small pieces of your potpourri may fall through the openings.) Keep back a small amount of fragrant petals at this point.

Next decide which of your whole flower heads you want to use. Look for color, shape, and size. Don't forget to consider the fragrant properties of the plants you select. They should blend well with the petals you have already selected. Snip the stems right behind the head of the flower. Gently add these to the mix. Keep some of the whole flowers to strew across the top of the mix when you are done. Add a couple of leaves if you like, and a whole cinnamon stick, cloves, pieces of dried fruit and dried fruit peel. Select these to complement your mix.

Take the fragrant flowers you've saved back and crush them and add them to the mix. Crushing releases the essential oils. Top your mix off with a few artistically placed whole flowers. Place in a room where you can enjoy the fragrance every day. You can refresh your potpourri by gently stirring when the scent grows faint. Now enjoy!!

Catch Me At Gene's!

For those of you who are often in Gene's Health Foods in Owensboro, come in and talk to me. Bring your questions, concerns, your recipes from magazines. We'll talk about them and help you find what you are looking for. I should be there Thursdays and Fridays, unless something comes up. Call ahead if you like, and verify. See you there.

New Catalog, New Products!

We have a new catalog with new products to help you enjoy your aromatherapy experience. Check out our new aroma lamps in brass or sandstone. To add to your overall body, mind, and soul journey we have added lovely windchimes, and a Chi ribbon mobile suitable for outdoor use. In the near future we will be adding music, videos, and books related to aromatherapy and total health. These items make lovely gifts for Christmas giving, especially when paired with a wonderful essential oil blend from Touched By A Scent. Write to Touched By A Scent at our Owensboro address to request a hardcopy of our new catalog. Or email us at info@TBAScent.com.