How to Make Your Own Modern Potpourri

Siren Shop – Potpourri

Dani Toscano

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A not-so-secret reality of the biggest flower-giving day of the year is the waste that follows it. “Our industry can be so wasteful,” says Rachael Lunghi, owner and lead designer at Siren Floral Co. and its recently opened retail component, Siren Floral Shop in Oceanside. “It’s the saddest part of my job. We are always experimenting with ways we can recycle.” In addition to fashioning dried bouquets, another often overlooked and old-school way to recycle flowers is to turn them into potpourri—and we aren’t talking a dusty bowl of pinecones and rose petals.

With the right ingredients—dried-out blooms, additional organic matter, and some essential oil—you can create something equal parts nostalgic and sweet. Here, Lunghi walks us through how to make modern-day potpourri.

1 Dry out the right flowers

Not all flowers dry out well. Hollow-stemmed flowers like dahlias and ranunculus aren’t your best candidate, since they hold water. For the best results, pluck wood-stemmed blooms from your arrangements, such as roses, hydrangeas, or even eucalyptus. Separate them, tie them by their stems, and hang them upside down until they’re fully dried out.

2 Gather up more organic ingredients

Potpourri doesn’t stop with flowers. There’s also dried fruit, herbs, and even woodsy matter like palo santo to consider adding to your concoction. Just be aware that, as with your blooms, you want to avoid any moisture-seeking ingredients.

Siren Shop – Potpourri 2

3 Combine and drop some essential oil on it

Toss your dried flowers and additional ingredients together in your favorite vessel—remember you’ll display this where you want to smell it. Take an essential oil that complements your medley and put a few droplets atop your ingredients to boost the fragrance.

4 Place your potpourri appropriately

Treat your potpourri as you would a candle and place it in the spaces you most frequent, like a living room, bathroom, or kitchen. Add additional essential oil as the scent dissipates, and toss once it loses all fragrance.

Siren Floral Shop

427 South Coast Highway, Oceanside

@sirenfloralshop