DIY: How to Press Flowers

Making a flower press is an easy way to savor a bit of nature, especially when you’re spending more time indoorsWhether the buds are from your garden, your neighbor’s garden or a bouquet of cut flowers someone gave you recently, here’s how to preserve a stem or two for yourself. As a gentle reminder, make sure you’re not pulling up a wildflower from the woods. Here’s a refresher on Leave No Trace principles, in case you need it. 

How to Press a Flower

Click here to download a version of this DIY.

What you’ll need:

  • Flowers
  • Paper
  • Scissors
  • Picture frame
  • Heavy books
  • Tweezers

Directions:

1. The Flower

Picking the right flower is key. The color will fade once it’s pressed so find a flower that’s vibrant and freshly bloomed.

2. Preparation

Trim away any unwanted leaves or stems. If it’s a thicker flower, such as a rose, you’ll want to split it down the middle with scissors or a knife, so it’s easier to press.

3. The Paper

Get some parchment paper, cardboard or even a coffee filter. Then place the flower between two pieces of paper, positioning it so the bloom is facing down.

4. The Press

Find the biggest book you have, and place the paper with your flower in it somewhere in the middle and carefully close the book. Now, place other heavy objects on top of the book, such as a brick or more books.

5. Fertilize

Change the paper once every three days. The flower will be dry in three to four weeks. If it doesn’t have a papery feel, change the paper and let it sit longer. Once it’s done, remove the flower very carefully (with tweezers, or your hands), as it will be very delicate.

6. Display

Now that you’ve pressed your flower, you can display it in a variety of ways. Our favorite way is to arrange one or more flowers in a picture frame to hang on a wall.

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