3 great ways to recycle your flowers
Receiving a bouquet of flowers is a great feeling; knowing someone has gone out of their way to think about you is enough to brighten your day. However, wouldn’t it be great if that feeling could last a little bit longer?
Here at Zing we’ve thought of the best ways you can recycle your bouquets to make that memory last.
POTPOURRI
Potpourri is used for a way to offer a fresh scent to an area using dried, fragrant plants. Dried flowers and other scented material are mixed in a clear bowl or tied in small, fabric sachets. Depending on the material used, these bowls of heaven can last from two months to 20 years.
- The first step is to remove the buds and petals from the stem and dry them out in a warm area.
- The next task is to mix the dried flowers with a few drops of essential oils. You could even add some dried fruits, herbs or spices for additional or selected scents.
- Add some fixative which could be ground spice or orris root powder then shake it thoroughly.
- Lastly you must develop the fragrance by sealing the contents in a container and store in warm, dark place for 6 weeks, shaking at two-week intervals.
WATER BASED PERFUME
Being able to make a scented perfume without any chemicals or oils is really great. But an added bonus is recycling your bouquet and using its scent to create a scented, water-based spray that can leave you smelling fresh and luscious.
- Remove the petals and wash them gently of dirt and sediment.
- Then line a bowl with a linen cloth and place the flowers in it, pouring water over them until the flowers are completely submerged.
- Place a lid on the bowl and leave the flowers to soak overnight.
- The next day, remove the linen cloth from the bowl using the four corners until you have a pouch of flowers. Squeezing the pouch over a saucepan will extract the flower-scented water and simmering it until there is about a teaspoon of liquid left will allow you to finish your floral concoction.
- Wait until the liquid is cooled and bottle it into an old vanilla extract spray bottle. (And why not decorate the bottle, label your masterpiece! 😀).
WREATH
Flowers are stereotypically known to be a spring and summer thing but why would you want to give up that joy in the cooler months? Drying out your flowers and creating a wreath that will last all year round is the ultimate way to get full use out of your bouquet.
- Dry out your flowers in a warm area either by placing them in a cupboard or hanging them up on a line.
- You will need to purchase a vine ring from your local crafts store and begin placing your flowers in the special way you want them.
- Using a hot glue gun, stick down your flowers and even add some additional pieces such as spices, dried foliage or even fruit to theme and decorate your wreath.
