zFlowers.com - Article image - 4 March 2016

Flowers bring so much joy to people. These fantastic works of nature can complete celebrations, make special occasions even more special, and let you express feelings when you can’t seem to find the right words to say. Fresh charming blooms make wonderful gifts to loved ones as well. Good thing nowadays, you can easily and conveniently order flowers online.

The only problem with blooms when cut is that they wilt. Most of the time they end up in the trash. It’s painful to see such beauties become waste. And so, one of the main concerns when buying or receiving a bouquet is what to do with leftover flowers.

Well, you can always give your blossoms another purpose. Below are some of the best ways to repurpose flowers.

Shadow box.

There is a way to keep a bouquet that means a lot to you. If you don’t want to throw away any piece of a bouquet, the best thing you can do is to frame it. Make your own shadow box. You can hang one as wall art or a brilliant centrepiece. This way, you can always have your favourite blooms on display.

Potpourri.

Who doesn’t like the smell of flowers in a room? One of the best ways to repurpose lovely blooms is to make potpourri using their petals. If you’re into aromatherapy, this makes a great option for you. Making a potpourri is fairly easy. Place dried petals in glass jar or small basket and put in anywhere you like inside the house.

Floral air fresheners.

In connection to making a potpourri, you can also make an air fresher from petals. Even though petals have dried, their scent can last for weeks. Put dried petals inside an old sock (one that’s unused or lost its pair) and fold or tie the end to prevent petals from falling out. This DIY air freshener can be used in drawers or in the car.

Scented linen spray.

Can’t get enough of the scent of flowers? Save the scent of beautiful flowers by concocting a homemade scented spray. This option is especially ideal if you have lavenders which are noted for their soothing scent. You can use this spray to keep your linens smelling great.

Bath bombs.

Ever heard of bath bombs? These are a mixture of various dry ingredients that are hard-packed and moulded into different shapes. They are used to add essential oils and pleasant scents to bathwater. The sandy/powdery mixture reacts to water by producing bubbles. Homemade bath bombs are a non-expensive way to enjoy an aromatic bath and add more fun to your bath time.

Bath soap.

Speaking of bath, flowers make good ingredients for soap. There are certain types of blooms (but not all) that are good for the skin. Prior to making your own bath soaps, be sure to do some research to find out the best kinds to use.

Arts and crafts.

Pressed petals make wonderful authentic materials for arts and crafts projects. Using dried pressed flowers and leaves, you can make personalised note cards, bookmarks, and stationery – gifts that require effort and will be much appreciated by the person who receives it.

Petal beads.

Don’t know what to do with all the roses you recently got? Turn them into beads. Yes, you read that right. Rose petals can be made into beads. Using a food processor or blender, the petals are pureed, simmered, and rolled into balls which shrink to smaller beads. These beads can be used to make bracelets and other types of accessories or simply placed inside sachets as keepsakes.

Garnish.

Edible flowers make incredible garnishes. If you have the edible type of blooms, use them as garnishes and add more colour and life to your soups, salads and other dishes.

Floral confetti.

Tired of the usual confetti at parties? Level up your confetti game when hosting a party by adding petals to the traditional confetti. Petal confetti is perfect for outdoor parties like weddings, engagements, anniversaries, and just about any shindig.

 

There are many other ways you can reuse and recycle flowers. And fortunately, there are numerous tutorials and DIY guides available online today. With the help of the internet, you can take on the DIY project of your choice.