Small flowers and leaves
A handful, collected with permission
Guide calls for fresh flowers and leaves collected with permission; artificial and already-pressed flowers cannot serve the pressing step.
Crafts
Pressed-flower art.
Press small flowers until dry, then arrange them on a card for a simple botanical picture.
- Makes
- 1 small framed picture
- Hands-on
- 30 minutes
- Total time
- 2–4 weeks for pressing, plus assembly
- Effort
- Easy
GET WHAT YOU NEED
Your shopping list
For 1 small framed picture.
Plain absorbent paper
Several clean, dry sheets
Acid-free card
1 sheet sized to frame
PVA craft glue
A few small dots
Amounts are what the project uses, not package sizes. Compare quantities and product details before buying.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Tools & supplies
Three or four heavy books
Keeps flowers flat while drying.
Use three or four heavy books you already own, with protective paper between flowers and book pages.
Tweezers and small brush
Handles fragile petals and applies glue.
Picture frame
Protects the finished card.
STEP BY STEP
Put it together
Collect
Choose dry, thin flowers after dew has gone. Remove bulky stems; arrange without overlapping.
Press
Place between absorbent sheets inside a heavy book. Protect pages with extra paper; add more books on top.
Wait
Leave in a warm, dry place for 2–4 weeks, until fully dry and papery.
Arrange
Lay flowers on card before gluing. Use tiny glue dots to attach them without saturating petals.
Frame
Let glue dry, then frame. Keep the picture out of direct sun to slow fading.
Good to know
- Use a book you do not mind marking; plant moisture can stain pages.
- Do not collect protected plants or handle unidentified irritating plants.
- Thick blooms dry less evenly than small flowers and separate petals.
SAVE THE MAKING
Prefer it ready-made?
Compare these finished options with making your own.
Finished pressed-flower picture
Ready-to-display botanical art.
Links go to the selected products. Availability and delivery vary by location; check the current listing and package size before ordering.
Sources & further reading
Independent instructions informed by the sources below. No affiliation or endorsement is implied. These instructions have not been kitchen- or workshop-tested by DIBuyIt.
- RHS: pressing flowers with books — Book method and 2–4 week drying; card layout is original