How to make potpourri

PoTPouRRI is a mixture of dried flowers, leaves, spices and herbs. The original mix in medieval France was created over summer and spring by drying flowers and herbs and packing them in salt.

Modern versions usually leave out the salt and are sprinkled with a little extra essential oil. Commercial products are often bulked out with wood shavings that are cut into pretty shapes and then dyed.

Salt preserves so these days, people add a fixative that extends shelf life.

If you make your own, you can buy orris root from herb shops or an artificial fixative from art and craft shops.

Potpourri is a flexible product: you can make up your own mixes to create sweet, spicy, citrus or exotic scents.

Popular ingredients that are easily available locally include dried lavender, rose petals, lemon peel, orange rind, lime leaf, cinnamon sticks, star of anise, cloves, cedar, mint and jujube or Korean date.

For a spicy oriental potpourri, try this mix: > Peel of 12 oranges > Peel of four large limes > Handful of lime leaves > Two cinnamon sticks > Three stars of anise > Six whole cloves > Two whole nutmeg > Two vanilla pods or six drops essential oil

Place the orange, lime peels and leaves in between three layers of kitchen roll.

Microwave on low for two or three minutes, then turn over and microwave again until the peels and leaves are dry.

Place all the spices into a paper bag. Bash them into small pieces with a hammer.

Place everything in an airtight box, mix thoroughly and leave for a week in a dry, cool and dark place. Shake every day without opening the lid.

This allows the essential oils from the spice to soak into the dry rinds.

After a week, remove and put in bowls. You can refresh your potpourri with a few drops of essential oil.