Sheena Patterson of Oxford Garden Design is getting busy preserving the scents of summer

Hundreds of years ago the streets of Oxford will have stunk something rotten.

Open drains, rotting vegetation and unwashed bodies forcefully reminded a good citizen that his sense of smell was too acute for comfort.

Cynics might say that some things never change, but walking past some of the soap shops on Cornmarket, which waft artificial scents into the street, I would strongly disagree.

The scent of flowers in summer is something to be relished and not easily duplicated, even with modern equipment.

Most women I know prefer the scent of freshly cut flowers to artificial ones, so I wonder if it’s time to return to the old method of preserving scented flowers in the summer?

In years gone by every good housewife gathered herbs and flowers to make potpourri to ward off the, er, less pleasant aromas.

Maybe this could disguise the smell of some aftershaves men consider make them irresistible!

Potpourri is not hard to make and — unlike the aftershave — is a very natural smell.

As an added bonus it’s free! Lavender is a really good starter plant and now, when it is in flower, is the time to go about your collection.

If the plant isn’t in your garden please ask the owner for permission – or you might risk lavender larceny. Strip excess foliage from the stems and cut to the desired length (no shorter than six inches).

To help flowers retain their colour during the drying process, make sure to remove them from sunlight as soon as they’re cut.

Tie the stems together with a rubber-band and attach to a hanger with string (I find used dental floss works a treat).

Find a dark, dry area with good circulation, such as an airing cupboard, to hang and leave the flowers for two to three weeks until completely dry and bingo you are on your way to becoming an expert in making potpourri.

As well as lavender, roses and carnations retain their perfume after drying but if you want to add some colour, try delphinums, cornflowers and marigolds.

They are all in flower at the moment. Add a few drops of flower oil to your dried flowers for extra scent (rose or violet are easy to obtain), shake thoroughly in a plastic bag and leave tightly closed for about three weeks.

After this time the potpourri should be ready and you can place it in attractive containers around the house.

I find brandy glasses work well – but confess that not everyone in our household is convinced that this is the best use for them! One thing I am sure about is that preserving some flowers now will give you a sense and scent of summer to brighten up even the darkest, gloomiest days of winter.