How to Reuse Your Valentine’s Day Bouquets PRESERVE YOUR LOVE
How to Reuse Your Valentine’s Day Flowers?
As Valentine’s Day, or the “Day of Love and Friendship,” approaches, it’s the perfect time to show appreciation to loved ones. Flowers are the easy and best last-minute gift if you forgot to pre-order a Valentine’s gift for your special someone. Nothing brightens your day like receiving a bouquet of roses for Valentine’s Day. Flowers are not just romantic and thoughtful gifts; they can also add beauty to your home. Instead of throwing away your flowers, you can turn them into special keepsakes. Many of your Valentine’s flowers can be preserved. You can use them for keepsakes, future arrangements, or wedding decorations in different ways
Valentine’s Day flower sales can represent up to 25% of annual floral revenue, leading florists to offer a variety of blooms like roses, sunflowers, gerberas, and orchids. In this guide, we’ll explore eco-friendly ways to extend the life of your bouquet, from drying techniques to creative flower reuse ideas.
1. Drying flowers
Drying flowers preserves their beauty and sentimental value. Flowers can be dried from a bridal bouquet, an anniversary arrangement, or your garden. Dried flowers can enhance your home decor and be used in various craft projects. The method you choose for drying will depend on the look you want and the type of flower. Common drying methods include air drying, microwaving, and drying using silica or sand.
• Air drying: Drying your favorite flowers, like roses and lavenders, is a great way to preserve them. Remove excess leaves, tie the stems together, and hang them upside down in a dark, dry, well-ventilated area for two to three weeks. Once the flower is dried, lightly mist it with unscented hairspray to protect it from wilting.
• Microwave Drying: Use silica gel to preserve blooms like gerbera daisies and tulips. Remove the stems and place the flowers in a microwave-safe container with silica gel. Microwave on low for 2 to 5 minutes, checking regularly. Vent the container to release steam and let it sit for 24 hours. Brush off the silica gel and mist with acrylic spray for protection and shine.
• Preserving with Sand: Sand is suitable for hardy flowers and is used similarly to silica gel. Layer sand in a box, cover flowers completely and allow two weeks for drying.
2. Create Potpourri from Your Bouquet
Potpourri isn’t just practical; it adds a lovely touch to any home. It’s a wonderful way to turn your dried petals into a fragrant potpourri to reuse your flower petals, especially roses, for months. The method is very simple – gather the dried petals, place them in a decorative glass jar or a pretty basket, and some essential oil for a burst of fragrance. This potpourri works very well in areas like the bathroom or kitchen, with its romantic and refreshing aroma.
Preserve Flowers Using the Oven
The oven method can also be used for making potpourri, but it is advisable for preserving flowers as it affects colour change and petal loss. Preheat the oven to 200°F, place blooms on a cookie rack over a baking sheet, and bake for about two hours, checking after one hour. Remove them if they start to shrivel and let them cool completely before handling.
3. Make DIY Floral Candles
To make a DIY flower candle from used bouquet flowers, melt wax (soy, beeswax, or paraffin) in a double boiler. Add fragrance oils and color dye if desired. Secure a wick in your container with melted wax or a wick sticker. Pour a small amount of melted wax, add dried flowers, then cover with more wax. Fill the container, optionally topping it with more flowers. Let cool completely, then trim the wick to 1/4 inch. For the best scent, allow it to cure for a few days before lighting. Enjoy your beautiful flower candles!
4. Infuse Rose Petals into Skincare
Roses offer numerous skincare benefits that make them truly special. Just check how you can recycle flowers for your own skin benefits.
• Deep Hydration: Rose essential oil is an excellent emollient, helping to strengthen the skin’s barrier and retain moisture. After enjoying a beautiful bouquet, consider reusing rose petals by infusing them into carrier oils like jojoba or almond to create a nourishing facial oil.
• Protection and Restoration: Rich in antioxidants and vitamins A and C, rose extract provides essential protection against pollution and helps maintain firmness. You can make use of the rose petals (recycled ones) from the used Bouquet or rose essential oil for your bath. This not only enhances your bath with aromatic benefits but also hydrates your skin, soothes muscles, and alleviates stress.
• Calming Properties: Rose extract, known for its calming effects, can significantly reduce redness and help rebalance dry or sensitive skin. Reusing rose petals from your bouquet with rose water is a wonderful way to minimize pores and tone the skin.
5 . Repurpose Your Bouquet for Crafts
• Book marks: Decorate bookmarks with pressed blooms or display dried flowers in a picture frame or shadow box. This easy craft involves pressing flowers between book pages and adding weight on top. After about two weeks, the flowers will be dried and flattened. It’s a great way to preserve wedding bouquets or other meaningful floral gifts.
• Flower Frames: You can also include keepsakes like ticket stubs or small photos with flowers. Hang the frame or place it on a desk to enjoy your memories for years to come.
• Dried Bouquet Vase: A dried bouquet can beautifully decorate your home. Place it in a decorative vase or use a few stems in small vases for a large table. Small arrangements are great for bathrooms or bedroom dressers, and you can tie a small bouquet to refresh a wreath!
• Dried Flower Wall Art: Transform a blank wall with a backdrop of dried flowers! One creative idea is to hang them from twine along the wall. For added flair, tie strands of twine with dried flowers to a rod or driftwood, and consider adding string lights for a magical touch!
• Pressed Jewellery: Pressed Jewellery: The fantastic way to recycle flowers and reuse flowers from special occasions is to change them into beautiful jewelry. it’s very easy and can be done in 3 steps.
1. Place the flowers between parchment paper and press in a heavy book for 2-3 weeks.
2. Cut pressed flowers to fit your jewelry settings.
3. Secure the flowers with clear resin or glue, cure them as instructed, and then attach them to chains or hooks.
• Pressed Flower Cards: For a personal touch, create pressed flower designs for your message cards. Card stock of any size adorned with pressed flowers can also be framed, making it a thoughtful gift or a lovely addition to your decor!
6. Compost for an Eco-Friendly Valentine’s
Reusing flower bouquets, especially this Valentine’s Day, presents the perfect opportunity to benefit the planet. When recycling flowers, we often neglect their compost potential.
The timing of composting cut flowers affects their classification as nitrogen-rich “greens” or carbon-rich “browns.” Wilted flowers add nitrogen, while dried flowers provide carbon. This reuse promotes a balanced compost mix and enhances its quality.
7. Donate Your Flowers
If your bouquet is still fresh, consider donating it to hospitals or care homes to brighten someone’s day. Valentine’s Day flowers can be preserved and reused in eco-friendly ways. A study from Rutgers University found that everyone who received flowers had a positive reaction. ‘Repeat Roses’ is an agency in New York that reclaims expired flowers for composting and donates usable arrangements to nonprofits like nursing homes and shelters. Unusable parts are composted or recycled. So, why not share your leftover arrangements with those who need a little cheer?
Bottom Line
No matter which preservation technique you decide to reuse and recycle the flowers, you can definitely keep your stunning Valentine’s blooms looking beautiful for much longer than just a week. This means you won’t have to say goodbye to your cherished gift so soon!
How to reuse bouquet flowers FAQ
• How long do dried flowers last?
Dried flowers typically last 1-3 years with proper care. Keep them away from direct sunlight, wind, and humidity to enjoy their beauty for years.
• Can you preserve flowers in a plastic bag?
Once they are already dry, you can further preserve flowers by placing them in a plastic bag.
• Does freezing flowers preserve them?
Yes, freezing flowers can help preserve flowers. However, the flowers must be completely dry beforehand, or the freezing moisture can cause damage. Additionally, freezing can impact petal color.
• What are the best flowers to dry?
Not all flowers are suitable for drying, but some work better than others. The best way to find out is through trial and error. Here’s a handy list of great flowers to dry:
• Amaranth
• Artemisia
• Astilbe
• Baby’s breath
• Celosia
• Coneflower
• Delphinium
• Herbs
• Hydrangea
• Larkspurs
• Lavender
• Pansies
• Roses
• Poppies
• Strawflower
• Yarrow
