9 Fun DIY Projects That Use Flowers From Your Cutting Garden

There ’s nothing more satisfying than snipping a bountifulness of blooms from your cutting garden and transforming them into witching keepsakes or home accents ! I love how thrilling it feels to harvest a pail of zinnias , Dahlia pinnata , and cosmos — only to take in you ca n’t display them all at once . That ’s where these 11 DIY project total in : each uses a dissimilar cut - flower star , turning your garden ’s excess into delicious creation that last beyond the vase .

Beyond their beauty , these bloom of youth brook a bustling community of pollinator and land helpers while in the garden — bee nesting in nearby scanty grease , hoverflies patrol for aphids , and springtails breaking down fallen petals . In each task , I ’ll share notes on the flower ’s aboriginal origins , whether it tends to tame ( or become invasive ) , and how it contributes to your garden ’s ecosystem . Let ’s revolve up our sleeves and get crafty !

Pressed-Flower Greeting Cards

catch the delicate beauty of Nigella damascena ( sexual love - in - a - Mist ) on handmade stationery for salutation bill that wow every recipient . Start by pressing blasphemous - black source pods and feathery leaf between parchment newspaper for 2–3 weeks . Once dry out , fix up them on cardstock with archival glue , then varnish with a clear varnish . These unique cards make ardent thank - you eminence or attentive invitations !

Nigella damascena hails from southerly Europe and western Asia , where it thrives in disturbed soils without overtaking native botany . In the garden , its nectar - rich prime draw solitary bees that nest in little underground tunnels . Even after cutting , remembering its part to local pollinators adds substance to each bill of fare you send .

Floral Confetti for Celebrations

move around vibrant Dahlia pinnata petal into eco - friendly confetti by softly dry out them on screens until crisp , then shaking them free . The result is biodegradable confetti in deep Battle of Magenta , cheery yellow , and coral tone — perfect for hymeneals or birthday showers ! It ’s charming to view those petals waver through the air like living rainbows .

Dahlias are native to Mexico and Central America and can naturalise in mild climates , though they seldom outcompete local plants . In your cutting garden , bees and butterfly stroke flock to their open - faced heyday , often nest nearby in sheltered garden box . Scattering those petals at celebrations brings a mite of that pollinator - well-disposed feeling to every festivity !

Flower-Infused Olive Oil

Create a fragrant olive crude extract with sweet Lavandula angustifolia ( English Lavender ) blossoms . Gently affectionate dried lavender in a twofold steam boiler with high-pitched - quality supererogatory pure Olea europaea oil color for 1–2 hours , then filtrate into amber bottle . Use it for bon vivant cooking , homemade salad dressings , or soothing massage oils — the possibilities are sempiternal !

English Lavender is native to the Mediterranean and rarely becomes invasive in harvest form . In your garden , its spike - alike flowers are magnets for honeybees and native mason bees , which often nest in small cavities or vacuous stanch nearby . Infusing lavender ’s essence into oil is a way to savour those pollinator - pull aromas year - round !

Plantable Seed Paper Keepsakes

Combine pulp from reprocess paper with crushed flower petal of Calendula officinalis ( Pot Marigold ) to craft semen - embedded report . tramp out thin tack , press in a sprinkling of marigold seeds , and let ironical . Recipients can imbed the newspaper in spring , and shortly those bright orangish peak will spring up — what a gleeful eco - giving !

Calendula officinalis is aboriginal to the Mediterranean and self - seeds modestly without becoming invasive . Its daisy - like blooms attract hoverflies , whose larvae devour aphids , while ground beetle often snuggle in the mulch around the plants . Giving seed theme relic protract that helpful insect community to anyone ’s garden !

DIY Floral Wreaths

Weave a rustic wreath using Sunflower ( Helianthus annuus ) heads and sturdy stalks for an autumnal porch showing . Trim the stalks to uniform length , form them into a round , and safe with floral telegram . Add dried helianthus disks , sprigs of dotty grasses , and cluster of seeded player heads for a bumpkinly look that live through frost !

aboriginal to North America , Helianthus annuus self - seeds freely but rarely overtakes well - tended spaces . Their towering rosiness pull out in bumblebee and only bees that nest in holes left by wood - boring insects . By crafting their sunny faces into wreaths , you carry that liveliness - encouraging energy the right way onto your front doorway !

Botanical Candle Holders

Embed single Chrysanthemum morifolium floweret into the side of vindicated glass votive holders using run beeswax . As you drip wax around each petal , it seal the blooming in place , create a charming botanical lantern . When you light the candle , the glowing illuminates each chrysanthemum like stained glass — so enchanting !

Chrysanthemums are native to East Asia and the Russian Far East and are not considered invasive when cultivated . In the garden , their composite blooms pull ladybugs and lacewings , whose larvae feast on pests . Showcasing these flowers in candle flame honour both their knockout and pest - direction artistry !

Pressed-Flower Bookmarks

Craft sturdy bookmarks by laminate pressed Cosmos bipinnatus petals between clear adhesive movie . Trim to your preferred size and add a thread tassel at the top . These cheerful bookmarker make show even more delightful , with burst of pink , orangish , and white peeking through each laminate panel !

Native to Mexico , Cosmos bipinnatus ego - sows in well - run out stain without buy the farm out neighbors . Garden bees and small butterflies adore these opened , daisy - like blooms , often nesting in nearby humiliated shrub . Every prison term you mark a pageboy , you celebrate cosmos ’s role as both page - Frederick Jackson Turner and pollinator magnet !

Homemade Floral Potpourri

Mix dry out petal of Rosa rugosa , star anise seed , and Ceylon cinnamon stick for a fragrant salmagundi blend . stratum ingredients in a shallow bowl , topping with a mist of rose essential oil . The combination move over a warm , gamy fragrancy that aromatize any room with garden - refreshing elegance !

Rosa rugosa is native to East Asia but is regarded as invasive in some coastal realm due to its vigorous suckering . In your carving garden , its fragrant flush draw butterflies and bumblebees , while small ground bees nest at the industrial plant ’s home . mixed bag made from these petals bewitch both their scent and their pollinator - friendly liveliness !

Floral Tea Blends

Steep dried Matricaria chamomilla ( German Chamomile ) flowers along with a handful of heap for a soothing herbal tea blending . Store the dried mix in a ice shock , and brew a teaspoon per loving cup of live water for a calming good afternoon cuppa . The apple - similar aroma of chamomile soothes both nerves and taste buds !

German Chamomile hails from Europe and westerly Asia and can naturalize in garden , though it seldom becomes problematic . In your cutting spell , its daisy - comparable blooms attract lilliputian solitary bee that nest in bare soil patches . A loving cup of chamomile tea is not only relax but a nod to the garden helpers who thrived among those blooms !