Make potpourri with rose petals
Give these beautiful flowers new life as a pretty potpourri. Potpourri is a mixture of dried flower petals and spices placed in a jar or a bowl to create a scent. It’s super easy and you can customise it with any perfume you love.
What you need
Flowers, newspaper, essential oils, citrus fruits, fresh herbs and whole spices.
Directions:
1. Gather your flowers petals (any flowers will work, especially those with strong fragrance). Spread the petals over newspaper to allow them dry for two to three days.
2. Once the petals are dry, place them in a jar.
3. Add your spices, herbs and essentials oils.
4. Close the jar and shake, leave it for a day or two.
5. Shake again and open to release the delicious scent.
Make a fruit dessert
Fresh rose petals are not only beautiful to look at, but they are also edible. Perhaps you have noticed rose petals served with a fruit based dessert either as a decoration or as edible part of it? Adding flowers can be a delightful surprise, as they have a floral scent and taste. Rose petals are perfect with fruits and sweets.
Make your own rose body scrub
A rose body scrub makes a great gift or a treat for yourself. Instead of tossing out your flowers, make a simple and quick body scrub that will last for a long time. We recommend using pink roses as the colour will last the longest when made into a scrub.
What you need
Rose petals, sugar, coconut oil, rose essential oils, blender, jar.
Directions
1. Gently pluck the fresh petals.
2. Add 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 of coconut oil and 2 cups of rose petals to a blender. Mix it until it feels and looks like a scrub. Add oil if it’s too solid.
3. Add 10 drops of rose essential oil and mix it again.
4. Pour the mixture into a jar.
There you have it! Easy body scrub that smells luxurious.
Make a rose water tonic
Rose water tonic is a really popular skin care product with great benefits for your skin. Rose water is perfect for sensitive skin as it’s known to calm acne and other skin issues. It balances the skin’s PH level. Ideally, go for organic roses, so there’s minimal pesticides.
What you need
Rose petals, saucepan, water, spray bottle.
Directions
1. Pluck the petals.
2. Wash the petals carefully and thoroughly.
3. Place the rose petals in a large saucepan and add one cup of water. Cover the saucepan and bring the heat to simmer.
4. Let it simmer for about half an hour.
5. Pour it into an empty spray bottle.
Rose petals are flush with antioxidants which is why it makes a great gentle face tonic.
Make a rose petal tea
Rose tea is an important ingredient in Ayurvedic medicine (native to India) and it helps with menstrual cramps as well as gut issues. Just fill a mason jar with dried rose petals and pore boiling water on top. Secure the lid and let it sit for at least 4 hours before straining out the petals. Drink it hot or cold, it’s delicious both ways. Again, make sure your rose petals are not full of toxic gardening chemicals.
There you go, five ways to use your rose petals after they’ve lost their freshness. No need to waste your mother’s day flowers or your birthday roses, there’s many ways to give them a new life. For example, our beautiful flower arrangement ‘P is for posy’ will make a great potpourri after it dries.