You planted them, you tended to them, and they sprouted. Your flowers now beautifully decorate your yard or balcony. For many people, the fun ends here—but it doesn’t have to! To enjoy the flowers from your garden even more, you can give yourself a fun personal project and give them a second life. All you need is a touch of creativity and a dose of dexterity to make the most of them after they’ve bloomed. Next, discover our suggestions of projects to try at home for a summer full of flowery fun.
Make a Pretty Bouquet of Cut Flowers
Instead of going to the local florist, try your hand at making your own bouquet from what you have growing at home. Carefully, pick out a few beauties in a way that cleans up your flowerbeds. Prioritize flowers with long stems for a natural and elegant effect, and cut their stems at an angle to allow for better water flow and prevent hasty wilting. You should also remove any leaves from the stems as they might put your bouquet at a greater risk of disease. To ensure your flowers last as long as possible, sprinkle some additive (sold in garden centres) into your vase of water. Alternatively, you can make a homemade additive by mixing equal parts water and 7UP, plus a couple drops of bleach.
Draw inspiration for your bouquets from the Facebook and Instagram accounts of florists, like those of Jungle Fleur, Atelier Carmel or Threads & Bloom. Get creative mixing and matching different flowers and colours, throwing in extra greenery if possible. The idea is to have fun and make it your own!
Cook with Edible Flowers
Using flowers in your cooking is an original sophisticated way to add colour to your dishes. For breakfast bowls or hearty salads worthy of the fanciest of restaurants, just add in some nasturtiums. Not only is this plant rich in vitamin C but it helps keep aphids away from your garden. If you’ve planted zucchini, pluck the flowers and stuff them with a mixture of ricotta and spices or turn them into delicious fried treats. A simple way to wow your guests and show off your culinary skills.
Otherwise, you can always embellish your drinks with pretty ice cubes, frozen with the flower petals of pansies, marigolds or violets. Plus, for cocktails that are as tasty as they are beautiful, use roses to make a delicious rose petal syrop. A nice touch that will surely upgrade your summer drinks!
Get Crafty with Homemade Beauty Treatments
Quarantine has given rise to the popularity of creating cosmetics at home. If you’d like to hop on this trend, the flowers from your garden will be sure to come in handy as ingredients. Pro tip: You’d do best to choose flowers that are quite fragrant, such as rose, lavender or hibiscus.
Get ready to relax and unwind and make bath bombs, with rose petals and dried hibiscus. Escape to Provence by turning your lavender into lavender lotion, or dry the flowers and make scented sachets for your drawers. A simple way to keep your clothes smelling fresh and floral! Homemade face masks are also a great way to make use of your flowers. Fairly easy to whip up, they’re an inexpensive project and are all-natural, unlike many store-bought skin care products. For a moment of pure bliss, give this rose-based face mask recipe a try.
Finally, before your flowers wilt, there’s one last thing you can do: put together lovely dried flower bouquets. They’ll nicely brighten up your home interior all while allowing you to dream of the next flowering season and all the beautiful days to come.
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What flowers have you planted in your garden? How do you plan to make use of them? Share your suggestions below. It’s always nice to hear from you!
Adapted from French by Erika Spedding
