An abundance of plant material can be collected all year round from gardens or woods. To make your own potpourri, it is best to gather the ingredients on a dry day. Rose petals and marigolds are among the many hundreds of flowers which can be dried and used to make a colorful potpourri mix. Add floral essential oils, such as Rose, Roman Chamomile, Rosewood and Ylang Ylang. Add citrusy essential oils for a zesty, fruity aroma, such as Orange, Lemon and Tangerine.
Autumn brings a colorful mixture of leaves, twigs, seeds, berries and cones.
These make a good decoration for the festive season, especially when woody essential oils are added, such as Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Patchouli and Vetiver. Always collect 4 times the amount you will need for the final potpourri mix as flowers, leaves, etc. If you are short of plant material, your local health food store should have a selection of herbs, spices, seeds and bark. Call or stop by your local florist and ask for discarded flowers. Put the dried ingredients into a plastic bowl or bag.