Here is a basic recipe for creating a natural perfume.

Natural Perfume Recipes

2 cups distilled water

3 tablespoons vodka – or a tincture that you made with vodka

5 drops of an essential oil or fragrant tincture of your choice

10 drops of an essential oil or fragrant tincture of your choice

10 drops of an essential oil or fragrant tincture of your choice

Before you begin mixing the scents together, try them out on a scent stick to see if you like them. If the fragrance is enjoyable to you, add the distilled water to a dark glass bottle with a lid, then add the fragrances, one at a time, making sure to shake the bottle well after each addition. Be sure to write down the amounts of each fragrance so you can begin compiling your own natural perfume recipes collection.

When all of the fragrances have been added, shake again to mix the ingredients well. Sit the capped bottle in a cool, dark place. Shake it daily. You can check the smell after two weeks. If it suits you, go ahead and use it as you would any perfume. If you are not happy with the way the perfume smells, set it aside for up to a month.

Feel free to add other scents after that if you are still not happy, but do try the new combinations on scent sticks first.

To my amazement when I walked into the greenhouse today I was greeted by the bloom of this lovely Hedychium. Somehow I had missed the flower scrape, possibly because I have been entranced by the green Cananga fruticosa blooms. I am anxiously awaiting the day they turn yellow and that lovely ylang ylang smell permeates the greenhouse.

Hibiscus Red Road has been a faithful bloomer this year since being potted up and moved back into the greenhouse. The bright red blooms are so nice and will certainly brighten up the place come winter.

Above is a photo of the green blooms of cananga fruticosa. I am so excited about this plant having flowers, especially at its young age. I simply cannot wait for them to turn yellow. I am not sure if I am going to leave them on the plant or tincture them. I will make up my mind when the time comes.

Another fragrant beauty that is blooming, but not quite in full bloom is Brugmansia. This one was supposed to be pink, but as you can see, it is white. The fragrance is heavenly however and it is one of my staple plants.

While I did not get a picture, my cestrum nocturtum is also in full bloom. I have never seen one so full of blooms before. I just couldn’t resist, especially since I was making a lemon verbena tincutre, so I climbed back to it, cut some of the flowers off and am attempting to make a tincture.

I am not sure what fragrant concotion I will come up with to use the tinctures in, maybe a perfume that reminds me of the greenhouse or hot tropical nights.

I hope you have enjoyed the photos of what is in bloom. Stay tuned, there are many more fragrant tropical plants in the greenhouse with buds on them. You just never know what I might have blooming in my tiny Indiana greenhouse.