You must pick your roses in the cool of the morn

When blossoms are sprinkled with dew.

In a bouquet, you may enjoy a few days, ‘til

Each flower has opened to view.

Deadhead  the best flowers, save all the blossoms,

violets, lavender, forget-me-knots blue.

For their sweet little faces, add pansies all colors;

dry all you gather, whatever suits you.

Onto the blossoms, sprinkle some rose oil,

And orris root powder, then blend.

Store in a dry box, stir it up daily,

then package and share with a friend.

Tips:  For an everlasting supply of wonderfully old-fashioned potpourri, just keep adding to the box with a lid, (like an old-fashioned hat box).  As you remove some, then add more flowers.  Think  a sit-on-the- back of the woodstove stew, the more you add the better it becomes.   Store your bottles of oil in the box along with the dried blossoms and petals.  You may dry the flowers by an method, hanging in the air upside down, silica gel, kitty litter, etc., but I use a simple food dehydrator.