Homemade Tropical Summer Stovetop Potpourri

Bring fresh summer scents inside with this homemade tropical summer potpourri made of lemons, strawberries, and coconut extract.

My easy fall stovetop potpourri got a very good reception. I guess I’m not the only one looking to create a homey-scented house without the use of artificial sprays or waxes. I made that potpourri many times through fall and winter and enjoyed how comforting it made our home smell.

I had a thought, though. If cooling temperatures merit a homemade potpourri, what about hot summer days full of smelly shoes and sweaty little people? Yeah, we need a stovetop potpourri for that, too. So I set out to create a summery version of the smell-good stuff.

I knew I wanted to use coconut extract because it’s such a distinctly summer scent. I didn’t want the whole concoction to smell like sunscreen, though, so I added lemon juice. To me, there’s not much more fresh- or clean-smelling than citrus. And then, because I had a few sad-looking strawberries in the refrigerator, I sliced those and tossed them in, too.

All the ingredients in this summer potpourri come together to make a sweet, fresh concoction that’ll perfume your whole house in the most light, refreshing way. It’s as close as you’ll get to a tropical vacation without the sunburn and the sand in your swimsuit.

Homemade Tropical Summer Potpourri

Ingredients

Juice of two lemons
The two squeezed lemons (you can substitute two tablespoons of lemon juice)
1 tsp. coconut extract
3-4 strawberries, sliced (I include stems and all)
2 c. water

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Simmer over low heat for a few hours, replenishing the water as necessary. Just like my fall potpourri recipe, you can heat the mixture in a potpourri warmer instead of on the stove.

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