How to Blend Your Own Fall Potpourri
Feature warm, grounded scents—wood, spice, orchard, and field!
Whether your spell is potpourri or pot-pourri… Fall is the season for warm, grounded scents—wood, spice, orchard, and field. Potpourri (often spelled pot-pourri) is simply a curated mix of fully dried botanicals plus a “fixative” to hold scent and a touch of essential oils (optional). Done right, it’s long-lasting, mold-free, and beautiful—without shouting in hot colors. Think muted plums, bronzes, olives, creams, and deep greens that complement a cottage aesthetic.
Potpourri Basics (What Makes It Work)
1) Botanicals (the “look” and part of the scent)
Dried petals, leaves, seed pods, cones, barks, peels, and slices. Choose clean, crisp-dry pieces in a restrained fall palette: bay leaves, sage, rosemary, lavender, rosehips, hydrangea florets (faded), mini pinecones, cedar tips, dried apple rings (fully crisp), cinnamon bark chips, star anise, acorn caps (baked dry), birch curls, and soft-gold citrus peel spirals.
2) Fixative (locks in aroma & releases it slowly)
Classic: orris root (powdered or chopped). Also good: benzoin resin (powdered), oakmoss (pre-diluted), or vetiver root (shredded). Use ~10% of total mix by weight (or about 1–2 Tbsp per quart jar).
3) Aroma accents (optional, go light)
Whole spices (clove, allspice), vanilla bean shards, and a few drops of essential oils pre-mixed into the fixative. Keep it subtle—this is a room accent, not a candle.
Scent Design 101 (So Your Blend Smells Balanced)
Top notes (first impression): citrus peel, conifer tips, a kiss of fir or sweet orange.
Heart notes (the main character): herbal (sage, rosemary, bay), floral (lavender), orchard (apple).
Base notes (longest lasting): woods & resins (cedar shavings, benzoin, oakmoss), spice (cinnamon bark).
A reliable ratio for Fall: 3 parts botanicals : 1/3–1/2 part fixative (by volume), plus 8–20 drops essential oil per quart of botanicals, blended into the fixative before it touches your botanicals.
The Drying & Prep (No Mold, No Mess)
Air-dry or dehydrate everything until brittle-dry. Apple rings should snap, not bend.
Bake-dry for safety: cones, acorn caps, citrus peels at 200°F (93°C) for 30–45 min, then cool.
Color care: for softer hues, avoid high heat on petals; air-dry in shade.
Clean resin tools with alcohol; line bowls with parchment for sticky fixatives.
Step-by-Step: Blending & Curing
Make a Scented Fixative (5 minutes).
In a small bowl: 2 Tbsp orris root (or 1 Tbsp orris + 1 tsp powdered benzoin).
Add 8–20 drops of essential oils (see recipes). Stir until evenly damp. Rest 5 minutes.
Build the Botanical Base (the pretty part).
In a large bowl: 4 cups fully dry botanicals (mix textures: leaves + pods + a few “statement” pieces).
Combine.
Sprinkle half the fixative, toss gently; add the rest and toss again until barely visible.
Cure.
Jar tightly (quart glass) 2–4 weeks, shaking every few days. “Burp” the jar for 10 seconds if condensation appears (it shouldn’t if all is crisp-dry).
Display.
Pour into open bowls, footed compotes, or lidded jars with pin-holes. Keep away from direct sun for longer life.
Refresh (Months Later).
Toss gently and add 2–4 fresh drops of oil to a teaspoon of fixative, fold into the bowl.
Five Fall Blends (Measured & Ready)
All recipes make ~1 quart of finished potpourri. Adjust color to your taste by adding or removing statement pieces (no neon oranges—stay muted and natural).
1) Orchard & Hearth
Botanicals: 1 cup crisp apple rings (broken), 1 cup bay leaves, ½ cup rosemary tips, ½ cup rosehips, ½ cup mini pinecones, ½ cup cinnamon bark chips.
Fixative: 2 Tbsp orris root.
Essential oils (optional): 10 drops sweet orange, 4 drops cinnamon leaf, 2 drops vanilla (oleoresin) or benzoin tincture.
2) Cedar Library
Botanicals: 1 cup cedar shavings/tips, 1 cup sage leaves, ½ cup hydrangea florets (faded), ½ cup birch curls, ½ cup star anise, ½ cup oak leaves (crisp).
Fixative: 1 Tbsp orris + ½ tsp powdered benzoin.
Oils: 6 drops Virginia cedarwood, 3 drops cardamom, 2 drops clove bud.
3) Coastal Marsh (Cape-Inspired)
Botanicals: 1 cup beach-found cones (clean, baked), 1 cup bayberry or bay leaves, ½ cup sea-glass-colored petals (faded blues/greys—optional silk if desired), ½ cup rosemary, ½ cup driftwood shavings, ½ cup rosehips.
Fixative: 2 Tbsp orris.
Oils: 8 drops fir needle, 4 drops lemon (steam-distilled), 2 drops oakmoss (10% dilution).
4) Kitchen Larder
Botanicals: 1 cup dried lemon peel curls (soft gold), 1 cup dill or fennel fronds (fully dry), ½ cup bay leaves, ½ cup lavender buds, ½ cup allspice berries, ½ cup cinnamon bark chips.
Fixative: 1½ Tbsp orris.
Oils: 8 drops lemon, 4 drops coriander seed, 2 drops fennel.
5) Woodland Walk
Botanicals: 1 cup oak leaves (tan), 1 cup mini pinecones, ½ cup sage leaves, ½ cup thyme sprigs, ½ cup rosehips, ½ cup seed pods (honesty/lunaria, if available).
Fixative: 1 Tbsp orris + ½ tsp vetiver root (shredded).
Oils: 6 drops patchouli (light), 4 drops balsam fir, 2 drops vanilla or benzoin.
Color & Texture Without “Hot” Hues
Choose rosehips (cranberry-colored but matte) over bright artificial berries.
Prefer soft-gold citrus peels vs. neon orange.
Use bronze fennel fronds, olive bay, sage-silver foliage, plum hydrangea remnants, birch curls, and acorn caps for a restrained, autumnal look.
Sourcing & Pantry List
From your garden: bay, sage, rosemary, lavender, fennel/dill heads, hydrangea, rosehips.
From the pantry: cinnamon sticks/chips, allspice, star anise, vanilla bean ends, citrus peels.
From craft/herbal suppliers: orris root, benzoin, oakmoss (pre-diluted), vetiver root, mini cones, birch curls.
Tip: If you grow dill or fennel, save the dried umbels; they look architectural and add a gentle anise note.
Display & Gifting Ideas
Open bowls in entryways and on sideboards; shallow trays for wide surfaces.
Jar-potpourri: tall glass with a perforated or slightly cracked lid (looks great, keeps dust off).
Sachets: muslin or linen bags for drawers; add a teaspoon of fixative inside to prolong life.
Tags: note blend name, date, and key botanicals (great for your Simples & Worts community).
Troubleshooting (Quick Fixes)
Smells sharp: You used too much clove/cinnamon or oil. Dilute by adding 1–2 cups unscented botanicals and re-cure a week.
Fades fast: Not enough fixative or too much sun exposure. Add 1 tsp fresh fixative with 2–4 drops oil, fold in, and keep out of direct light.
Goes soft or spots appear: Hidden moisture. Spread on a sheet, air-dry 24–48 hours, re-bake any cones/caps at 200°F, then re-jar with a silica desiccant packet for a day before display.
Safety & Sensible Use
Do not ingest. Keep from pets and children (spices like clove are potent).
Essential oils: less is more; avoid direct skin contact with concentrated oils.
Allergies: Apiaceae (carrot family) plants (dill, fennel) and strong spices can bother sensitive folks—label your blends.
No simmering with oils on heat. If you want a stovetop simmer, use whole spices & peels only in water; never add essential oils directly to a hot pot.
A Simple “Starter Kit” (for your shelf)
2–3 quarts assorted botanicals (muted fall colors)
½ cup orris root (powdered or chopped)
Small jars of benzoin and oakmoss (pre-diluted)
Essential oils: sweet orange, lemon, cedarwood, fir needle, vanilla/benzoin, clove (optional)
Quart glass jars with tight lids, parchment, and labels
With a light hand and patient cure, your Fall potpourri becomes a quiet, inviting presence—more “harvest library” than holiday candle aisle. Blend thoughtfully, keep the palette soft, and let the materials do the talking.
Until next time...
I am...
Phil Wilson...
And, here’s to living an Herbal Lifestyle With You!