How to Make Incense with Fresh Flowers and Herbs

Aromatic candles and beautiful flowers help set the mood for any occasion. Romantic red roses can bring out an amorous ambiance while, fresh lemongrass has been found to give us energy and improve concentration. A personalized and natural way to bring these scents into your home is by making your own incense.

Incense is any material made from plants that are burned for a fragrance, and there are many different ways to make it. Some like to use essential oils and others prefer crushed ingredients for their incense. Today, we’re teaching you how to make incense with fresh flowers and herbs. The best part about this method is that you can use leftover herbs and your favorite flowers without much prep.

Before we get started, take a look at the different materials you’ll need to make your homemade incense.

Homemade Incense Materials

• Cotton twine – You’ll use this to tie your herbs and flowers together. This type of twine will not melt and is commonly used in cooking. Hemp and jute twine are other alternatives.

• Flowers and herbs – Pick out your favorite fresh flowers and herbs to make your homemade incense. We have a list of our recommended choices below. Make sure to check if your flowers are in season before you start preparing your incense bundles.

• Scissors – You’ll use scissors to cut your herbs and flowers.

• Heat-proof plate – The incense will burn on this plate. Pick out a decorative one that matches your flowers and herbs.

• Hanger – The hanger is used to dry the bundles.

• Matches or a lighter – Pick up some matches or a lighter to smoke your incense.

Best Herbs and Flowers for Your Homemade Incense

It’s best to use flowers and herbs that were not grown with chemicals or pesticides, so they don’t spread into the air. You can pick up fresh herbs from your local farmer’s market, nursery or grocery store.

Pick flowers that are not fully bloomed. Mature flowers are more likely to mold or lose their petals in the drying process. Fresh herbs are easier to wrap than refrigerated herbs, so buy fresh when possible. Add lots of leaves to your bundle because they will shrivel up in the drying process.

How to Make Incense in 5 Steps

Project time

Drying Herbs and Flowers: 3 weeks

Assembling Incense: 20 mins

Step 1: Prepare and cut the herbs and flowers.

Cut the herb stems to about six inches in length and cut the flower stems between three to six inches. Remove any extra leaves from your flowers.

Step 2: Bundle the herbs and flowers together.

Herbs with big leaves like bay and eucalyptus are great to use as a base for your bundle. Lay your flowers on top of the herbs to keep them secure.

Step 3: Use your twine to secure your incense bundle.

Unravel a long piece of twine about five to eight times as long as your bundle.

• Tie your twine around the stem-side of your bundle to keep it together. Leave about 3 inches of twine on the shorter side.

• After you’ve secured the bottom, tightly wrap the long end of the twine upwards around the bundle until you reach the top.

• Next, tightly wrap your bundle downwards in the opposite direction.

• Once you’ve reached the bottom of the bundle, you need to tie the long end of the twine to the short end to secure it.

Pro Tip: Wrap and pull the twine as tightly as possible because the flowers and herbs will shrink as they dry.

Pro Tip: Wrap and pull the twine as tightly as possible because the flowers and herbs will shrink as they dry.

Step 4: Hang your bundles upside down to dry for two to three weeks.

Use the long end of your twine to tie your bundle upside down from your hanger to dry. Find a cool, dry spot with good circulation to hang your bundles. Dry the bundle completely before using it or else the bundle will not burn. Check out our guide for more tips on drying flowers.

Step 5: Place your bundles on a heat-proof plate and light your incense.

Take your incense from the hanger and place it on your plate. Light the herbs until they start to smoke. Blow out the fire, let it smolder and enjoy!

Now that you know how to make incense, you can start prepping a few bundles ahead of time. This way, you’ll have some dried incense bundles ready to go for your next occasion! Store your incense bundles in a cool and dry location. Exposure to moisture or heat can cause the bundles to mold or become more brittle.

These incense bundles are a great addition to a romantic date night with your special someone or a holiday party with family and loved ones. We have a few ideas below so you can start making your own fresh floral and herbal incense for every occasion!

Floral and Herbal Incense Bundle Ideas

Homemade incense bundles are a simple way to enhance the atmosphere in your home with minimal effort. These bundles also make great gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and more. If you want to create a relaxing basket with homemade goodies, you can also learn how to make bath bombs for the ultimate DIY relaxation goodie bag. You can also pick up some perfectly paired berries and flowers to make your gift extra special!