If the shortness of summer gives you the blues, try bringing the scent of the garden indoors for some cheer.
To make a gallon of potpourri, combine all dry ingredients, such as flower petals, buds, leaves, herbs, fruits, pods and spices. In a separate nonmetallic bowl, add about 50 drops of fragrant oil to 1/2 cup of a fixative, such as orrisroot, calamus root or cellulose fiber.
Blend wet and dry ingredients by hand or with a wooden spoon in a nonmetallic bowl or paper grocery bag.
To prolong the fragrance, display potpourri in an attractive, clear glass container with a lid and simply remove the lid and stir to release the aroma into the air.
Once potpourri loses its scent, give it a boost with a few more drops of fragrant oil. Blended oils tend to keep their fragrance longer than pure essential oils.
-- Homes & Gardens staff
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