Old Fashioned Mixed Flower Blend

In a small bowl, place the ground spices and fixative (orris root and gum benzoin) and add oils 1 drop at a time. Thoroughly mix the oil, fixative and spices. In a separate mixing bowl, place the remaining dry ingredients. In a dry place, store the decorative dried flower heads. Pour the mixture of fixative, spices, and oil into the mixing bowl that contains the bulk of the dry ingredients. Mix together thoroughly to ensure that the oil, fixative, and spices are evenly distributed throughout the potpourri. Place the mixture in an airtight container and leave in a dark place for 6 weeks. Shake the container every day for the first week. After a minimum of 6 weeks, transfer the potpourri to a decorative container. Decorate with the dried flower heads that were set aside.

From The Book of Potpourri by Penny Black

This is a wonderful, basic flower potpourri blend.

4 cups mixed flowers such as rose, honeysuckle, violet, pink larkspur,
bachelors buttons, wallflower and lemon verbena
1 cup mixed sweet herbs such as rosemary, bergamot, thyme, marjoram, and
lemon balm
1 cup lavender
1 oz. orris root powder
1 oz. fine-ground gum benzoin
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 stick cinnamon
2 drops rose oil
2 drops carnation oil
1 drop lemon oil
1 drop frankincense
Flowers for decoration