Sweet Dreams: Herbal Dream Pillows

These are just a sampling of potential fixative ingredients, to which you may add endless combinations of herbs and flowers to complete your potpourri. Once you have made your potpourri mixture, store it away from direct heat or sunlight in airtight glass jars or tins for about one month to allow a heady fragrance to develop.

Various materials are suitable for pillow coverings, such as velvet, silk, or chintz. A layer of muslin or cotton should be placed between two evenly sized squares of material, which can be 12 to 18 inches, or whatever size you care to make the pillow. On this layer, the potpourri is added, and another thin layer of cotton or muslin is placed on top. The muslin layers will make the pillow soft and help prevent the plant material from bunching into one corner. Quilt batting is ideal for herbal pillows since the middle layers of cotton are built into the fabric. Another trick to prevent bunching is to knot a few threads through all the layers once the seams have been securely secured closed by needle and thread, or with a sewing machine. Decorating the pillows with bits of ribbon, buttons, lace, or everlastings, adds a personal finishing touch, and will help to make your dreams a little bit sweeter.

"Sleep, sweet little babe, on the bed of roses I have spread for thee; sleep fond little life, on the straw scattered o'er, 'mid the petals of roses, and pansies I've laid thee, in a crib of white lillies; blue bells on the floor." -- Old Latin Hymn

Fragrant Herbs Suitable for Dream Pillows

Basil, pennyroyal, borage, pineapple sage, chamomile, southernwood lavender, strawberry, lemon balm, sweet woodruff, lemon verbena, tarragon, mint (all types), thymes (especially lemon), oregano, vanilla.

To cure depression - lavender; To improve memory - rosemary, bay; To prevent nightmares - rosemary, anise; To ease headache - elder flowers; To help dream recall - rosemary, broadleaf plantain (seeds).

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