Capture the season’s loveliest flowers and leaves in frames—here’s how to make an easy plant press
Gather the loveliest flowers from your yard and arrange them into enchanting botanical art. It’s easy to make a plant press with a couple of plywood boards.
Flat-flowered varieties such as pansies, cranesbills, and daisies are especially good for pressing. Ferns and different grasses also complement these colorful blooms. Gather your plants when they are at their peak bloom or leaf stage. Make sure their petals or leaves are intact and free from insect damage.
Plant press—supplies:
- Plywood or wooden board, 2 pcs (about A3 size or any size you prefer)
- Screws, 4 pcs
- Washers to fit the screws, 8 pcs
- Wing nuts, 4 pcs
- Two pieces of corrugated cardboard of the same size
- Absorbent paper, 4 sheets
- Paper sheets for arranging the plants
- A drill for making the holes
”A handmade piece of botanical art makes a lovely surprise for a friend. Gather their favorite flowers to press.”
How to make a plant press
1. Use leftover plywood or sturdy wooden boards for the press. Cut them to the same size. Drill a hole in each corner at matching points so you can fasten the boards together. The easiest way is to stack the boards while drilling so the holes line up perfectly.
2. Insert a long screw into each hole. First, thread a washer onto the screw, then slide it through the hole in the plywood. Repeat for each corner.
3. Place one piece of corrugated cardboard on the plywood as a base. Then stack a few sheets of absorbent paper on top for blotting.
4. Arrange your gathered plants loosely on the absorbent paper. Position them so they press into pretty shapes.
5. Lay a couple of absorbent sheets over the arrangement to soak up moisture from the plants. Then place another piece of corrugated cardboard on top so the plants press evenly.
6. Finally, place the other plywood board on top of the cardboard. Guide the screws through the corner holes. Thread washers onto the screws in each corner, then twist on the wing nuts and tighten everything firmly.
7. Store the press in a dry place. Check on it occasionally to see how the plants are drying. If necessary, swap in fresh blotting sheets. Once the plants are dry, remove them from the paper and arrange them on decorative paper or cardstock, then frame them.
