DIY: home-made potpourri

Lovely readers, how are you? I realize it's been a while since I shared a good ol' DIY with you. This request (among others) was put in by my friend Divya of SHP. She wanted to know how I make my own potpourri...here's one way of making it. Next time when you get flowers home, don't discard them once they start to droop..... clip flowers close to the base (calyx) (if the petals fall off, collect them too). If you live in colder climes, spread the flowers out in a single layer near the heating vents (I just dump mine into a colander and prop it near a secluded heating vent). Another good area is the boiler room (make sure the petals are contained, and you're not about to spark off a fire!). Any dry, warm spot with circulating air should work just fine. Avoid exposing them to sunlight though, as they may lose color. Give them anywhere between a couple of days to a week. If you pile the flowers up, they'll get moldy, so make sure that they have enough air circulating around them.  Seasoned gardeners have designated areas where they dry flowers on the stem. For amateurs like me, this low tech option works just fine.....

Remember these tulips?--The petals dried beautifully!--since they were thick, they took almost a week to dry out (but at that point of time, we hadn't turned on the heating, which could, potentially, have hastened the process). Other flowers that I have worked with which dry into gorgeous potpourri-- my red salvia, roses, cacti flowers, pinks. Only flowers I've had trouble with were chrysanthemums, possibly because I tried drying the whole head of flowers. Oh well.

Pool together flowers of similar hues for a gorgeous, natural potpourri!! If you want, you can add a few drops  of essential oil; I like mine unscented and use them to provide a splash of color.....

 

Further reading:
Design*Sponge carried an article on making your own blends with herbs and spices.
This article explains the process for adding essential oils to the mix.
This excellent post covers the art of extending your cut flowers' life. 

Do you have any tips to share? (barring "buy a bag from your local {insert shop of choice here}" --My lazy way out!!)

:D