How To Preserve Beautiful Garden Mementos Using A Simple Household Item

While certain summer-blooming perennials make for a colorful garden, what do you do when the temperatures fall and the flowers die a natural death? You can either wait for the next season to feast your eyes, or preserve the gorgeous florals as beautiful garden mementos. In case you opt for the second option, you don't need any special tools or accessories to immortalize their grandeur; a simple household item — wax paper — will do. Simply sandwich your flowers in the middle of two strips, then press them down with a book or iron over the florals to DIY your mementos in a jiffy.

However, to ensure your keepsakes don't grow mold after you press them, always use dry blooms and greenery. Always pluck them when there's no visible dew or water drops (from either watering or rain) on them. But don't wait until the sun reaches its zenith since you don't want sad-looking buds with their vibrancy dulled and petals drooping. In case you have already picked out your florals and they seem a little moist, pat them dry with a clean paper towel (preferably white). Be gentle, or you risk the petals falling out. You also want to clean out dirty florets if you'd rather not embed soil into your precious mementos. Check them thoroughly for insects, too. As for the flowers, flat ones fare best since there's less chance of their petals separating from the bud under pressure. That being said, this is a matter of preference, so feel free to experiment with any floret or greenery that catches your eye.

After you have the desired florals and clean them out, decide how you'd like to press the flowers. To elaborate, if you don't want to spend a lot of time on this project, grab a sheet of wax paper and fold it in half. Then, tuck it in the middle of a hefty book, preferably one with a hard cover in case you don't want to damage its spine. Now, for the fun part: inserting your chosen blooms and greenery between the folded wax paper. Set them down gently, especially if you're working with a flower that doesn't have a flat shape, before shutting the book. Once done, put it aside in a cool, dark, and dry location. Also, add a little weight (think other books, heavy decor items, or paper weights) on top to firmly press the florets in place. Although simple, this process can take anywhere between two and four weeks, depending on how thick and layered the bloom is.

Alternatively, grab your clothes iron and wipe the plate to remove stuck fabric pieces or dust. Plug it in and pick the lowest heat setting. Follow a similar process with the wax paper and slide the florets inside. Now, place it on your ironing board or an old piece of cardboard and lay a thin piece of white cloth (must be clean and dry, too; brownie points if it's transparent) on top. Iron each piece for a few seconds prior to moving on to the next one and flipping over the wax paper. Keep going until you don't see any wet spots over the blooms.

Whichever process you choose, don't get overzealous. This means you shouldn't open up your book every other day to check on the flowers. And you absolutely shouldn't pry the wax paper open. Otherwise, the blooms won't automatically fuse to the paper, destroying your mementos idea. In case you pick the ironing route, be patient and don't leave the hot plate over your buds for longer than 15 to 30 seconds in one go before letting them cool down. Or else, the petals and leaves will get too dry and may lose their vibrant tone. Some might even get brittle and start crumbling.

While the end goal is to preserve your gorgeous summer flowers, don't forget to have fun while pressing them. To elaborate, experiment with the arrangement of the florals until you're happy with what you see. You can even have a theme for them or go for unique designs each time for a distinct decor. Moreover, decide in advance how you'll use the mementos. Will you simply tuck them away in your art and crafts or a clear glass box? Or, will they serve as a suncatcher? Perhaps, you'd like to use them as pretty bookmarks? By determining their usage early on, you can shape them how you like in advance and won't have to lose part of your pressed flowers later. To add little decorative touches to your mementos and seal their edges, use washi tape or glue ribbons (twine will look good, too) in their stead.