The botanist's art: pressing and drying flowers and leaves

Sunset, August, 1984

With all parts glued in place, set the paper aside to dry for several hours before framing. Then lift it slowly to make sure that all pieces are hanging on; reglue those that aren't.

To minimize fading, keep the mounted plants out of direct sunlight.

Photo: With beds laid out by color, this gardener harvests perennial flowers as they come into bloom, then presses and stores them to use later. Here she picks orange tiger lilies; gold-band lilies in foreground are also ready

Photo: Using pressed flowers and leaves, she experiments until she develops a strong design. Craft glue mounts plants to herbarium paper (it's acid free)

Photo: Cobra lilies pressed by Ruth Hansen for Berry Botanic Garden become part of herbarium

Photo: Finished arrangements in different sizes and shapes can be mounted on note cards, matted and framed as well art, and even laminated for place mats. Most will fade slowly with age

Photo: You can make or buy plant presses in many sizes. Small, carry-along ones are for away-from-home collecting; larger ones preserve oversize garden specimens