Floral Awakening: Jasmine

Tis like the birthday of the world,

When earth was born in bloom;

The light is made of many dyes,

The air is all perfume;

There's crimson buds,

and white and blue...

The very rainbow showers

Have turned to blossoms where they fell,

And sown the earth with flowers.

~Thomas Hoods

Awaken your senses by surrounding yourself with a bouquet of floral accents. Freshen the air with jasmine perfume, sip a blend of floral-flavored tea and enjoy the scent of a jasmine topiary.

Are you having 'spring guests'? Delight them, or yourself, with a basket of fluffy towels scented with a linen spray. Be aware of Nature's beauty and indulge yourself with fragrant flowers...Her most precious perfumes.

To make visitors, and yourself, feel very special, leave a basket brimming with plush towels in the bathroom. Enclose a bottle of jasmine linen spray to freshen and scent the towels. To make the spray, simply add 6 drops jasmine essential oil to four ounces distilled water. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and tuck into the basket of towels. Add a sprig of fresh jasmine, if available. The spray also makes a wonderful, effective room freshener.

Jasmine in a Jar:

To one cup boiling water, add four packages unflavored gelatin and two tablespoons salt. Stir until dissolved. Remove from heat. Add 15 drops jasmine oil and one drop food coloring. Pour into a jar and cover with plastic wrap; let set overnight. Remove plastic, place a doily over jar and set on table to use as an air freshener. The scent will last for about two weeks.

Jasmine Eau De Toilette:

For a beautifully scented toilette water, pour the following ingredients into a glass bottle and shake well; Three fourths cup citrus-flavored vodka, one fourth cup orange blossom water and six drops jasmine essential oil. Allow to steep for one week before use. This eau de toilette is deliciously fragrant and pleasant to use.

White Stars Topiary:

Entwined in an imaginative shape, a jasmine vine creates a perfect topiary. Place the jasmine plant in a terra-cotta pot and insert the round wire topiary form....gently wrap vine around the wire until it's covered completely. Water well and trim occasionally, shaping as you go.

Jasmine Tea:

Enjoy a delicious tea blend made with one cup black tea leaves and two cups fresh jasmine flowers. Scoop a one inch layer of tea leaves into a jar; place a one inch layer of jasmine flowers on top. Alternate layers until all ingredients are used. Secure lid on jar; let jasmine permeate tea leaves for a few days, then remove flowers from loose tea by hand. To use, add one teaspoon tea to one cup hot water; let steep a few minutes.

Jasmine essential oil has an exotic fragrance, making it a popular choice for perfumes and colognes. Because of its softening effect, the oil is often found in skin-care products. Jasmine oil is used to relieve depression, tension, fear and listlessness.