Make your unique potpourri to harmonise your home, emotions, and body.

Why would you want to make a potpourri?

Nature gifted us powerful tools to harmonise our homes: flowers, spices, and citrus.

Each plant has its properties and magic, and using aromatherapy to uplift the energy of your home and your mood could be the boost you need to keep your smile, relax, or maintain your vibration no matter what occurs outside.

 

 

Different methods exist for drying flowers and fruits.

Some drying methods require patience, and others offer results in one day. However, time is not the only factor to consider; you also want to know what you will use your dried flowers and citrus for. 

You will use different methods depending on what you will use your flowers for. For instance, you won't use pressed drying if you want to make a bouquet or a potpourri, and you won't use air drying or oven drying if you're going to make a collage and need flat flowers. If you use your flower for epoxy creations, you could imagine using silica gel to get a fast and colourful result, yet you would not use that chemical method if children or pets risk touching your dry flowers.

When it comes to fruits, if you don't have a net to keep flies away from your citrus slices, you may use your oven instead. This approach is also helpful if you live in a humid environment, as using the oven to dry your fruits will prevent moisture from ruining them. The most important question is: How will you use the flowers and fruits?

Drying flowers and citrus in the oven
Duration: approx. 2 hours
The result is ideal for potpourri, drying citrus, and Christmas or winter ornaments.

Air-dry your flowers
Duration: at least 5 weeks
The result is ideal for dry flower bouquets, potpourri, and winter ornaments. 

Pressed flower drying
Duration: at least 3 weeks and needs care every 3-4 days
The result is ideal for collage, paper making, epoxy creations, and jar decoration.

Silica gel flower drying
Duration: 24/48 hours
The result is ideal for epoxy creations.

 

 

This creative idea is to make your unique potpourri to harmonise your home, emotions, and body with flowers, spices, and citrus. We will opt for the option of drying flowers and citrus in the oven. Fun fact: It is also a potent way to warm up your home if, like me, you live in a place where buildings don't have much insulation or heating because, hey, cold season is only about two to three months on Greek islands.

 

 

Selecting your flowers and fruits

If, like me, your neighbour has a lemon tree, or even better, has one in your garden, having pesticide-free citrus will be easy. But if you don't, you will want to try to find bio citrus (whether it is lemons or oranges). If you can't afford or find them, then wash thoroughly your fruits before drying them so that if any pet or toddler decides to chew your potpourri, it is safe for them.

When it comes to flowers, you'll notice that the oven can slightly dull their colours. The best option is to choose fluffy flowers with thick petals, such as roses, peonies, sunflowers, hydrangeas, and frangipani. As the flowers dry, the petals will become rigid and somewhat crispy. Thick petals will stand the test of time better and are less likely to turn to dust.

 

 

Drying flowers in the oven

1. Warm up your oven at 90°C (200°F), if possible, use convection; if not, use heat from both the top and bottom.
2. Put a baking paper sheet on your baking tray
3. Spread your flowers on the plate so they do not touch each other.
4. Put the tray in the oven for 2 hours
5. Take it out of the oven.
6. Display the flowers on a cooling rack.

 

Note that small flowers might dry faster than larger ones. Therefore, if you use small flowers, I recommend you check on them after 1 hour of drying and then every 15 minutes to ensure they don't turn brown.

 

Drying citrus in the oven

1. Warm up your oven at 80°C (175°F), if possible, use convection; if not, use heat from both the top and bottom.
2. Cut your lemon, orange or grapefruit into slices of 3 mm (0.10").
3. Put a baking paper sheet on your baking tray.
4. Spread the citrus slices on the plate so they do not touch each other.
5. Put the tray in the oven for 1h.
6. Flip the slices.
7. Put the tray back in the oven for 1h.
8. Switch off the stove.
9. Open the oven's door and leave the trays in the oven while it cools down.

 

Note that you can use several trays and each of your oven's possible levels (2 or 3).

 

Assembling your potpourri

Once your flowers and citrus are dry, you can grab a bowl or, even better, a small basket and mix them in it. If you want to add texture, add walnuts or pine cones. To add some smell, you could add cinnamon sticks and star anise in the winter. You may also add some essential oil drops to enhance the scent.

 

I hope you will enjoy the process and have some fun.

Cheers,

Christel

 

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