Old- Fashioned Rose Potpourri

The roses seem especially abundant this year- the perfect time to make a big batch of old-fashioned rose potpourri! Feel free to alter the quantities of botanicals to match what you have on hand and to make the recipe your own. Potpourri recipes are really just a guideline, a scent suggestion, a starting point for your own creativity! If you start with good quality botanicals and oils you can't make a mistake.

OLD-FASHIONED ROSE POTPOURRI
6 cups of dried rose petals
2 cups of lavender buds
2 cups of rose geranium leaves
2 cups of lemon verbena
1 cup of rosemary
1/4 cup of frankincense tears
1/4 cup of whole cloves
2 cups of oakmoss
1/2 teaspoon each of rose, bergamot, sandalwood, rose geranium and lavender oils
1/4 teaspoon each of musk, patchouli and vanilla oils

Combine all of the dry ingredients except the oakmoss in a large bowl and mix gently. Put your flower and herb mix into a one gallon jar with a tight fitting lid. Top with the oakmoss- don't mix it in yet. Sprinkle the oils evenly over the surface of the oakmoss and cover with the lid. Let it sit for 2-3 days to let the oakmoss absorb all the oils. Dump the whole thing back into a large bowl and gently mix with your hands. Put your potpourri back in the jar and cover. Age your potpourri at least 4 weeks, more if you can. The longer you age potpourri the longer the scent lasts.
Adjust the scent as needed any time during the aging process by adding scent to a bit of oakmoss before adding to your potpourri. You can enjoy the scent in a pretty bowl or basket or make sachets to tuck into drawers.

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