Making your own dry potpourris is an easy and enjoyable process. We are assuming you are going to make your potpourris from plants in your garden.

First, you will need to collect and dry your potpourri material. Collect flowers, leaves and branches of the plants early in the morning after the dew has dried off of the plants. Many different types of flowers and leaves can be used. The most often used flowers are rose petals, lavender, lemon verbena, rose geranium and tuberose. Do not hesitate to try different varieties. If it has rained recently, wait until two days after the rain before harvesting material. Dry the material on a piece of screen wire suspended off surface. Turn the material every couple of days until very dry. Keep materials out of sunlight or the materials may become quickly faded. If material tends to blow off, place another piece of screen over the materials. You do not have to harvest all of the materials needed for a potpourri at one time. Small quantities can be stored in airtight containers until needed.

When enough materials have been collected and dried, it time to start your potpourri. Start by mixing flowers, leaves and twigs until you have achieved the right visual effect. The right visual effect is whatever pleases you most. For every quart of flowers and leaves, add one tablespoon of fixative material. To this mixture add a couple drops or more of fragrance oil. Again, the right mixture is the one that pleases you most.

When the mixture is complete, store in an airtight container to allow the various fragrances to meld together. Store for about a week. Shaking the material around a couple of times during the wait will improve the results. The finished product can be stored in glass containers for a beautiful visual effect and the top opened whenever fragrance is desired. The mixture can also be made into sachets by placing in small teabags or muslin or cheesecloth bags.