In my garden, I snip with abandon. And when my friends visit, I encourage them to do the same. It is a cutting garden, after all. Everything is grown to be anticipated, admired, photographed, harvested and appreciated elsewhere. To be given a job far more important than adorning my garden; to adorn my home or the home of someone I care about. With this in mind, I recently compiled an at-a-glance list of the vase life ranges for all the botanicals I grow specifically for use in floral arrangements and bouquets.
One of the most beautiful Mother’s Day gifts I’ve ever received from my husband was this handmade flower press. Made of live edge, air-dried walnut and finished with a French polish and wax, it literally took my breath away! Until then, I had used whatever heavy books I could find around the house to press botanicals.
Harvest, create, and give a pretty sentiment with violas! My daughter and I made these greeting cards made with pounded, pressed, and dried violas. We loved the texture and layering that the combination of different preservation techniques gave the project. It was the perfect rainy-day craft.