How to Create Flower Essence

Making a flower essence is easy and can be done with any flower

Whether you want to make perfume or try a natural remedy to cure an ailment, creating flower essences is the first step. A flower essence is created from a sun infusion of the blossoms of flowers picked at a certain time, and then preserved in brandy.

Things You'll Need

• Clear glass bowl with no printing or engraving on it
• Spring water
• Flower blossoms picked at the appropriate time of day
• Glass plate
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Cheesecloth for straining
• Brandy
• Small brown bottles with labels

Instructions

1. Sterilize your equipment. Wash everything in hot soapy water and rinse it thoroughly. That includes your hands. You want to make sure not to get any contaminants in your essence. Bowl all equipment for at least 20 minutes and allow it to air dry and cool before using.

2. Choose your flowers carefully. Blossoms are at full strength depending on the season, temperature and amount of rainfall. The best time to pick your flowers is usually early in the morning, when the dew is still on the petals. You will want to choose flowers that are about a day away from being in full bloom, with no browning, rust spots or bugs. Carefully snip off just the flowering part of the plant, and let the cut flower fall onto the glass plate without touching it. Cut several before continuing.

3. 

   Fill the glass bowl with spring water until it is about 1 inch from the top of the bowl. Using tweezers and scissors, carefully remove the stamen and center part of the flower. Allow the petals and blossoms to fall into the water and arrange them with the tweezers, making sure that the petals touch the water and float on top.

4. Place the bowl filled with flower petals in the sun for about 4 hours. You want to remove the flowers from the essence at the first sign of wilt. Carefully strain the essence through your sterilized cheesecloth and place in a clean bottle.

5. Make your final stock essence by combining the flower essence and brandy at a ratio of about 60:40. Place the brandy in the small brown jars first, and then add the flower essence. Seal the jars tightly and gently shake to mix the ingredients. Label them with the date and flower's name. This can now be used for homeopathic remedies or making perfume.

Tips & Warnings

• Research your flower selection carefully. Different flowers are used to create different remedies.

• Store your final bottled flower essence stock in a cool, dark area.