Fields and Forests Project – Flower Water
Gather flowers in the early morning. Later in the day, the heat of the day may have evaporated some of the essential oils from the plants. They should be dry and bug-free.
To Make a Flower Water
INGREDIENTS
Examples of flowers to use:
Rose petals
Calendula petals
Chamomile heads
Geranium petals
You can also use leaves and other plant parts. E.g.:
Lady’s mantle
Witch hazel leaves
Greater plantain leaves
Chickweed
Make sure your petals or leaves are free from insecticides and other chemical sprays.
DIRECTIONS
Get a large pan with a heavy base or a double boiler.
Fill up to half-full with flower petals.
Cover the petals with filtered or bottled water, or rainwater.
Simmer on a very gentle heat for 1 hour.
Switch off and put aside to cool.
When cool, pour the contents through a strainer. Squeeze petals to get all the water out.
Now put fresh petals into the pan until half-full.
Cover with the same water you have strained off from before.
Simmer on a very gentle heat for a further 1 hour.
Switch off and put aside to cool.
Strain and squeeze again.
Now filter the water through coffee paper filters to remove any small bits.
This will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
USES AND IDEAS
You can put this into bottles with a spray top to use as a skin freshener, body spray or facial toner.
You can mix this into any creams that you make instead of adding water.
Some flower waters (e.g. rosewater) can also be used in cooking, cake making or in sweet making (e.g. Turkish Delight)
Thank you so much for all your help, I am going to try making flower water. You really explain haw to do things so a learner can understand.
Tina Craine
You’re welcome. I have also come across a new way of making them, using a saucepan almost like a still, which makes them a bit stronger. I’ll try and post it soon. I’ll let you know via Twitter when it’s up here.