Let It Grow
By Tammy Thornton
While we enjoy these lingering beautiful days of September, we know that our warm weather won’t last forever. Though some of you can’t wait for cooler days, gardeners know that summer flowers will fade along with the waning sun. However, you can preserve your summer garden, at least in part, by drying and pressing flowers and foliage that can be used to make fun and memorable crafts.
You may have heard of great aunts or grandmothers keeping cherished flowers from the bouquet of a sweetheart between the pages of their favorite novels. Preserving flowers in weighed down books is a time-honored method that actually works very well. Though this way of pressing flowers is very simple, it takes two to four weeks. Your wait will be rewarded with dried flat flowers with good color retention. To press flowers in this way, place your flowers in a single layer between a folded piece of parchment paper. Leave some space in between each flower or leaf. Close the book carefully and weigh it down with more big books or a heavy weight. Check your flowers in two weeks. If they are not fully dried, wait another one to two weeks.
If you are an impatient, impulsive gardener or crafter (like me), you might want to try a quicker method. Ironing flowers between parchment paper is a fast way to press flowers. But be sure to add an extra layer of parchment paper or white white copy paper on the outside of the parchment paper, so it doesn’t bleed through. Otherwise, your significant other might not have romantic thoughts about your special flowers when the “colorful iron” ruins their clothing. Before starting, turn off the steam setting on your iron and use a light touch. Keep the iron at a low setting and check your flowers frequently so you don’t overdo it by singeing them or turning them brown. A few seconds of pressing with the iron should be sufficient. Check your flowers in between each pass of the iron to see if they are completely dry.
Microwaves can also be used to press flowers quickly. Place them between paper as in the other methods and weigh them down with a heavy item that is microwave-safe, such as a heavy bowl or plate. Zap the flowers in short intervals, checking them each after each round. You can also buy a press made specifically for microwaves.
In each of these methods, the goal is to extract moisture from the flowers efficiently. If you do not fully dry out the flowers, they can turn moldy. Choose flowers that are approximately the same thickness and blot them with a paper towel before starting, to remove any surface moisture. Flowers that work best have fairly “flat faces” such as pansies, impatiens, and violets. Thicker flowers can also work but you may need to cut them apart and separate the petals. Fern leaves or herbs such as parsley and dill make interesting pressed plants.
Once you have fully dried and pressed your plants and flowers, you will be ready for the fun part. Let your creativity flow. You can glue them on paper to make a greeting card or bookmark for your friend. Create fun lights by using Mod Podge or watered-down glue to decoupage your pressed flowers to the outside of recycled jars. Add tea lights and you will have unique lighting to line your dining room table. For a timely seasonal idea, decoupage them to white pumpkins for a fun fall decoration. Save some of your dried flowers to decorate Christmas tree ornaments in winter or Easter eggs in the spring. If you have used edible flowers, decorate cakes and cupcakes with your creations. You can also make an arrangement between two pieces of glass inside a picture frame for a picture perfect way to show off your garden throughout the year.
If you’ve been inspired to create memories from your garden, we would love to hear from you. What’s your favorite technique of drying or pressing flowers? Send pictures of your clever creations or questions and comments to: shorelocalgardener@gmail.com.
Tammy Thornton lives with her husband, children, and crazy pets while enjoying a life of gardening, cooking, and going to the beach.
