The history, use and value of candles – making flowerpot candles

Flowerpot candles make a great gift for, or from, a gardener. You will need:

Get some clay or terracotta flower pots – don’t hesitate to buy them second-hand, as this just adds to their ‘heritage appeal’
A candle-making kit (or paraffin wax, wicks, colouring if you are buying separately)
Scented oils
Cooking thermometer
Plasticine or clay

Use the clay or plasticine to block the drainage hole in the pot. Melt the wax according to instructions, using the thermometer to make sure you get it to the right temperature so it doesn’t either burn or granulise as it sets and adding any colours that appeal to you and appropriate scent in the form of aromatherapy oils. Tie the wick to a pencil and lay it across the pot. Pour the candle into the pot and leave it to set.

Alternatives – using PVA glue, draw a thick line around the top of the flowerpot using any rim as your marker, and roll the glued area in ordinary sand to give an interesting textured effect. Allow the glue to dry completely before adding the candle wax.
Garden Saucer Candles – these are even easier! Obtain large shallow terracotta garden saucers without holes in the base. Fill them with gravel or sand as a base for one or more candles - fish tank gravel works well, or coloured gravel in patterns like the yin yang with a different coloured candle in each half. Or add other objects to create a theme such as sand, use das a base to display driftwood, sea-smoothed glass and seashells.

Flowerpot photograph by tom_ad92, used under a creative commons attribution licence