Making a beautiful herbarium with our own hands: step by step instructions. Do-it-yourself herbarium of leaves for kindergarten and school with a photo Beautiful herbarium

Most students are given specific biology assignments for the summer. One of the most common is the collection of plant samples. To create a herbarium from leaves with your own hands, you will have to make a lot of effort. After all, it is necessary to correctly select the plants, dry them and arrange them beautifully in a special album. A small workshop on making a dried leaf collection will help you support the young botanist in his work. From the materials of the article you will learn the rules of herbarization and be able to beautifully design a botanical album. In addition, we will discuss an alternative way to create a collection of vegetation.

The scientific works of botanists have allowed modern man to have an idea of \u200b\u200brare plants. Several species disappear every day, and new ones come to replace them. In order to preserve the knowledge about individual representatives of the flora, a method was invented to form them in the form of a book with records of the place of collection and the natural habitat of the specimen.

What is a herbarium

The name herbarium comes from the Latin word herba - "grass". It is a collection of dried plants included in a special catalog. The Italian botanist Luca Ghini became the first person to collect a herbarium using paper. This material is very hygroscopic and allows the collected material to be stored for a long time.

Nowadays, more than 10 thousand botanists are engaged in the collection and design of herbaria, working in 168 countries of the world. The largest collections of plants are contained in scientific institutes USA, France, Russia, Switzerland. Moreover, modern techniques allow storing information not only in the old way - at the moment there are so-called digital herbariums. They are scanned photographs of herbarium sheets with complete information about the sample. If you can see the largest collections only by visiting a museum or scientific institute, then electronic catalogs are available online.

Everyone can collect a herbarium at home, because for these purposes there is now on sale special paper, glue, presses for drying samples, folders for storing them. But to create a collection it is not at all necessary to use these materials, it is enough to show a little resourcefulness and put into action what is at hand. You can see the design ideas in the photo:

How to collect material

A joint walk with your baby for samples in the forest or park will bring a lot of benefits and pleasure. After all, this is a great opportunity to warm up, breathe fresh air and replenish the baggage of knowledge about the representatives of the flora.

In collecting herbarium specimens, you must adhere to the following rules:

• collection of material is carried out exclusively in dry weather;
• it is better to collect samples closer to noon, when the morning dew has already evaporated;
• plants are completely removed from the ground so that you can visually evaluate all its parts;
• for large specimens (trees, shrubs), the most prominent parts are selected, which will help to identify the sample;
• when collecting a deciduous collection, parts of the shoot are necessarily cut off with a sharp knife so that the type of arrangement of the plates is visible;
• the material is collected only in the absence of diseases and pests, noticeable traces of damage;
• be sure to prepare a notebook and a pen before walking, because not only samples, but also their description are important for the herbarium;
• several copies must be taken for each sample. If the collection is deciduous, it is possible to collect plates of different shapes and colors from one tree.

You can create a collection both from spontaneously collected plants and purposefully by selecting a separate section, for example, medicinal plants, weeds, indoor flora, etc.

Drying leaves

Most in a simple way Drying in vivo is considered to be drying between the pages of a book. If the foliage was not wet and too juicy, this option is perfect.

In order not to spoil an expensive edition, first place a layer of paper between its sheets and the sample.

The collected specimens are placed on drying in one layer. They are ventilated daily and transferred to other sheets of the book to avoid mold. The book can be pressed down on top with a press to prevent the samples from puckering. After 5-10 days, you can start creating a collection.

The next common drying method involves using an iron. The collected samples are placed between two sheets of white paper and ironed on medium temperature. You need to be prepared for the fact that the desiccate (dried sample) will lose its natural color.

Album design

To arrange a herbarium for school, you can use a regular sketchbook for drawing lessons, but its not too thick paper can deform after gluing the desiccate. Therefore, it is best to collect the herbarium sheets separately. For their registration, take:

• thick white cardboard (the number of sheets is equal to the number of dried plants);
• album sheets;
• strips of decorative corrugated cardboard 4 x 12 cm;
• multiformes;
• pVA glue, scissors, threads, hole punch.

Carefully remove the collected leaves from the storage. Glue the plate to the album sheet using PVA glue.

Thoroughly grease the cardboard with glue and glue album sheets with dried leaves to it.

To preserve the specimen and protect it from dust, use a 2-piece multifor or thin tracing paper. Place the protective layer on the sheet, lay a strip of corrugated cardboard on the side and punch the structure with a hole punch. Secure each sheet with a strong thread.

Glue a label to each sample at the bottom of the page indicating the place and time of collection, the name, and individual qualities of the plant. Then, the sheets need to be stitched together and the cover attached. In this case, we used photographs taken during the collection process and processed in a photo editor in the form of a collage.

You can use a regular binder by inserting herbarium sheets into it.

Unusual option

Sometimes an interesting task of drawing up a collection of plants is given to children much earlier. To make it interesting for the kid to consider the herbarium for kindergarten, we suggest that you arrange it in a very interesting technique - casts.

A sheet impression can be made on salt dough, gypsum. In the first case, the dough is kneaded according to the basic recipe: mix fine salt and flour in equal proportions, carefully add water until a plastic mass is obtained.

Roll out small dough medallions. Press the leaves into them with a rolling pin with the veins side. Subject the dough to dry, then remove the leaf and paint the surface of the print.

The second version of the cast is made of plaster. This technique is not that difficult, but the result is a beautiful and durable picture. To make it, you will need:

• plastic bag;
• plastic plate;
• plasticine (you can old);
• gypsum, water;
• collected leaves;
• paint.

The process is very simple, photo instructions will allow you to see it in detail.

Please note that the print must face the pattern towards you.

Fill and leave to dry completely.

We take out the plasticine.

We paint, varnish.

Such a panel will take its rightful place in the interior and will become the real pride of the baby.

Related videos

We invite you to watch a selection of videos, from which you will learn how to make a herbarium with your own hands.

The first herbaria appeared long before books with color photographs were published. At first, these were romantic attempts by girls to save the flowers presented to their lovers.

Healers put dried plants into books, described them healing propertiesto pass on your knowledge to the next generation.

Later, scientific books appeared that described the properties of herbs and flowers. Some information was clearly exaggerated.

Along with the description of the properties, there were legends and fictions about the magical powers of herbs. Such literature had drawings of plants instead of photographs.

Today herbariums are used to gain knowledge and develop skills. This is done by both children and adults.

If the first children's herbariums are an attempt to make crafts, then adults can sell their works as exquisite handicrafts.

Each page is like a wonderful fairy tale with the smell of herbs and the feeling of touching nature.

Types of herbaria

If you decide to make a herbarium yourself, you should decide on its appearance.

Varieties of herbaria:

If you are making a herbarium for aesthetic reasons and love for nature, you can place poems next to each leaf, add a description: personal opinion.

If your goal is to create a scientific book with a description and characteristics of flowers, the systematic or thematic type of herbarium is taken as a basis.

Important! Often they make up a herbarium with medicinal herbs.

Descriptions are included with the attached dried herbs. medicinal properties, methods of preparation of decoctions and tinctures, recommendations for collection and preparation.

It is not only a handmade book, but also its own guide to medicinal herbsthat can be passed on like a family heirloom.

How to collect plants correctly?

To make a beautiful and durable herbarium, you need to remember the 5 main commandments of collecting plants.

5 essential rules collecting herbs for herbarium:

• Collect herbs in dry and sunny weather.
• If you are cutting flowers, do it at an angle.
• The best option is to dig up the herbs and store them with the root.
• Try to gather at a time when plants are in bloom to perpetuate not only the leaves but also the flowers.
• Collect multiple plants of the same species for your choice.

Preparation stages

Before going on a plant hike, you should be well prepared.

Step-by-step preparation for gathering:

1. Find out the weather forecast for the day when we gathered for herbs for the herbarium. The weather should be dry and warm.

   If it rained the day before, it is best to postpone the hike until the vegetation is completely dry.

2. Dress appropriately for the weather, so you can fully work on the task.
3. Have the necessary equipment with you.

Going for samples with one bag is impractical. Digging tools, separate newspaper bags for each group of samples should be with you.

Stickers or notebook sheets are used to record the date, place of collection and plant species.

On a hike, a small spatula is useful to gently extract the roots. A special knife or pruner will allow you to easily cut the desired samples.

A large roomy backpack bag will allow you to keep all your equipment on your shoulders.

Important! Do not put herbal samples together with your inventory to avoid crushing or damaging them.

Design ideas

There are many ways to make a beautiful herbarium. Use these tips to create your original herbarium.

Herbarium design tips:

• For children's creativity, it is good to arrange each page in the form of an animal or a landscape, part of which will be laid out from different leaves and flowers.
• Children's works do not need detailed descriptions of plants; it is enough to lay out an aesthetically beautiful picture.
• A herbarium of a specific theme can be supplemented with photographs of plants in their natural environment. To do this, they must be photographed before being cut.
• You can make a book with your own hands, but it is better to buy a special one in a craft store.
• Make small forms of the same design for each page. They should have lines to describe the species, collection date, and other details.
• If you are making a herbarium for the seasons, each winter page can be supplemented with a background of winter landscapes on which samples will flaunt. This can be done every season.

  To assemble such a book, you will have to independently find large-sized pictures on the Internet and print them on paper. You will get an unusual and original herbarium.

• The original pictures may not be related to the season. Print images of meadows and forests, rivers and mountains. Dried plants will look great against their background.
• For lovers of gothic images, background pictures in black and white are suitable.

  If you supplement them with red letterheads with calligraphic letters, you get a stylish book of plants.

Composition storage secrets

When drying plants, details are important. If you follow this procedure correctly, you can save your samples for a long time. Durability is the main criterion.

Tips for preserving dried samples:

• The collected samples must be dry.
• If the herbs are to be dried between the sheets of a book, it is necessary to change the sheets a couple of times a week so that the escaping liquid doesn't spoil the samples.
• Blue flowers retain their color perfectly if they are first dipped in denatured alcohol.
• Dry several of the same samples to choose the best one.

Useful video

Literally "herbarium" is translated from Latin as "grass". Dried plants are used as visual aids in botany lessons, for making crafts and panels. There are also scientific herbarium collections. They are kept in museums and botanical gardens... In dry rooms, the contents of albums retain their color and shape without loss for centuries.

Rules for collecting plants for herbarium

Before going for herbs, decide which herbarium you will compose: for school, thematic, decorative. It depends on what herbs, flowers and leaves you need.

To collect plants, you will need a shovel, a knife, a herbarium folder, paper sheets for laying and recording data, and a pen.

How to choose the right pieces

Collect herbs on warm, dry days. Do not do this in the morning and evening - dew will interfere with high-quality drying. Two or three specimens of the same species are cut or dug out, in order to choose the best option later. Healthy, insect-free specimens will do. It is good if they have both flowers and fruits. You cannot collect plants from the Red Book.

For decorative purposes, you should take young plants, they will not lose color during processing. But sometimes withered flowers are also used to make the composition more picturesque.

It is easier to create a herbarium from leaves than from flowers. It is enough to clean them with a damp flannel flap to remove dirt and straighten them. The leaves of plants with a silvery underside look great: coltsfoot, elecampane, poplar, as well as branches of ferns. Autumn leaves for herbarium are impregnated with denatured alcohol or silicate gel before drying to preserve brightness. Of the flowers, violets, lavender, pansies, calendula, cornflowers, delphinium and yarrow are ideal.

Plants are either dug up or cut at an angle. Voluminous inflorescences are divided, and thick rhizomes are cut along. When laid between paper sheets, the petals are straightened, and the long stems are bent. Some of the leaves are turned upside down. Each piece is marked, noting where and when it was torn off. This draft label is used to cleanly describe the herbarium.

If you do not have time to process the raw materials, put the plants in water until the next day, or wrap them in plastic and put them in the lower compartment of the refrigerator.

Preparing flowers for drying

It is more difficult to make a herbarium from flowers than from herbs and leaves. But if you know the nuances, the floral album will remind you of the sweet days of summer for a long time:

• Blue flowers are placed in denatured alcohol for 30 seconds to preserve their shade before drying.
• In luxurious dahlias, roses, asters, peonies and chrysanthemums, some of the petals are dried separately, otherwise they will crumble. They are placed under a 7 kg load. And the rest are laid with cotton pads so as not to stick together.
• Tulips are dried as individual petals or as a whole. But you need to lay them under oppression slightly faded. The same goes for rose buds.
• The succulent stems of crocuses, daffodils and tulips are cut lengthwise and the pith removed.
• Inflorescences of chamomile, marigolds, gerberas are covered with cotton wool on all sides and put into a “shirt” of several layers of soft paper, and then - under a 15 kg press.
• Small flowers (jasmine, marigolds, forget-me-nots, yarrow) are dried together with a twig, laying first with paper, then with cardboard. The required load is at least 15 kg.

For decorative purposes, enthusiasts manage to dry the heads of ripe dandelions and other fluffy flowers. To do this, a wire is threaded into the stems and the flower head is lowered into boiling water for ten seconds.

Raw materials pressing methods

The drying technology has been supplemented by modern methods, but the classic ones are still used. How to make a herbarium, the future owner of the collection chooses:

Drying method	Tools	How to dry a herbarium	Time required
Pressing	A flower press consisting of two flat boards. They are fastened at the corners with screws. Paper sheets.	The plants are placed between paper sheets, a folder is inserted between the press boards and tightened tightly with screws. For juicy herbs, you need to change the paper in a couple of days.	2-4 weeks
Fast iron dry	Sheets of paper and iron with disabled steam function	Leaves in a paper "shirt" are pressed down with a book. After a couple of hours, the structure is pressed with an iron (minimal heating). Hold for 15 seconds, remove the device until the paper cools. The procedure is repeated until the moisture has completely evaporated.
Drying in a book	Thick book.	The spread flower is laid out between the pages of an unnecessary book and pressed down on top with thick volumes.	3-5 weeks
Using the microwave	Two flat ceramic tiles or plates, paper and cardboard sheets.	The selected copy in a paper folder is placed between the cardboard sheets, and then between the tiles. Fasten with threads. It is dried in an oven at low power for minutes, allowed to cool, then the process is repeated. Several such cycles are carried out until dry.	2 days (after treatment in the oven, their plants are carried out under pressure).

The iron can only dry leaves and herbs, and even then they can slightly change the color. For flowers other than cornflowers, this method is not used.

How to mount a herbarium?

Dried flowers are mounted on separate paper sheets or in an album for a herbarium. In the latter case, a careful approach is required: when turned over, fragile petals can crumble. Between the pages of the album there should be tracing paper inserts against abrasion on a hard surface.

How can you fix dried flowers on paper:

1. Threads. The method is laborious, but worth the time spent. The threads of the desired shade are almost invisible and give a slight mobility to the plant, which helps to avoid deformation.
2. Transparent tape or plaster. A low-cost and fast method, but short-lived. The scotch tape dries quickly, the plant moves away from the paper sheet. Regular strips of paper smeared with glue will last longer.
3. We glue. Parts of plants are glued to cardboard with PVA, paste, decoupage glue. The disadvantage of this technique is that the adhesives make the sample tough, brittle and brittle. This method is suitable for creating decorative panels for varnishing. Only fish glue gives elastic adhesion, but it is expensive.

In the correct herbarium, the specimens are placed rhizomes downward, thin branches and leaf tips are not fixed. Protective envelopes made of tracing paper are sometimes put on the inflorescences. And the fruits are glued side by side in a transparent bag.

Creation of a herbarium album and decorative items

The design of the herbarium assumes the presence of a label in the lower right corner of the sheet. Its size is usually 10 by 8 cm. It indicates the genus and type of the sample, the time and place of collection. Such labels are made even on decorative panels.

The use of dried flowers for decoration

A do-it-yourself herbarium does not have to be done in a classic style. Dried leaves and flowers give room for imagination. You can make panels, decoupage elements, scrapbooking, appliques from them.

Features of the herbarium for the school

The collection of dried flowers for schoolwork requires a special approach. Such tasks are often given to students by botany teachers. How to arrange a schoolchild's herbarium? Fix the plants to sheets in any of the above ways. Don't forget about the label.

In the school herbarium, the title page is required. It should include the name of the meeting and the details of the student who compiled it.

Sample sheets are placed in transparent files and combined into a folder. Experience in collecting and drying plants is useful for a child: clarity allows you to better remember information.

Children's crafts from dry leaves

Dried flowers are often used for children's creativity. For example, bright autumn leaves become the volumetric part of the picture, and the image is laid out from the stems on a postcard or bookmark. You can decorate a box, pencil case, notebook cover with flat petals. Plants are glued to PVA and the surface is covered with acrylic varnish or glue varnish for decoupage.

Herbarium in the interior

A beautiful herbarium will be a good gift to a loved onewho are passionate about botany or simply appreciate the graceful retro style of interior design.

Appliques made of dried branches and leaves are an interesting, original hobby. But before making a herbarium, you need to stock up on various types of material. You can collect raw materials for compositions in summer and autumn. For each type of plant, there is the most appropriate time when its shoots and leaves take on a beautiful color. Collecting, drying, storing leaves is a truly creative process. Modern methods of material preparation allow you to see real art in a simple herbarium.

What is a herbarium

You can collect absolutely any items. The collection of natural parts of plants is called a herbarium. From Latin herba is a herb. It used to be that leaves were stored and straightened for crafts using paper. The botanist Luca Guini made this method popular. Due to the hygroscopicity of the material, the sheets could stay in a certain position for a long time and did not deteriorate.

Modern scientists in the field of botany and biology continue to collect rare species. In addition to the usual paper method, collections are placed in digital herbariums. Information about the species is contained in a scanned photograph of a part of the plant. The largest collections are in museums, scientific institutes in the USA, France, Switzerland.

Home collections are common and have their own names. They are used to decorate the interior, they work with them in creative classes in kindergartens and elementary school classes. They are stored in ordinary folders, homemade boxes, on the wall under glass. To create a herbarium, you can use simple materials at hand. It is enough to be inspired by the idea you like and get to work.

What plants and how to collect

The choice of plant material for a collection depends on the purpose of its creation. Typical samples of the usual color, medium shape are suitable for scientific and educational herbaria. The most bizarre herbs are suitable for creating decorative compositions and bouquets. These must be intact bright elements. It is necessary to take sheets with a margin, so that it is possible to replace the damaged sheet during drying or during gluing.

You can collect various plants in your own garden, in the park, in the schoolyard. To select good herbarium specimens, the following rules should be followed:

• You can go in search of material only in dry weather;
• The best time to collect is noon or evening, when all moisture has evaporated as much as possible;
• Small plants are removed from the ground together with the root in order to be able to appreciate all its parts;
• If a part of a tree or a shrub is needed for a herbarium, its most prominent area is chosen, by which it will be easier to identify it;
• If it is necessary that the type of plates in the shoots of deciduous trees be visible, they should be cut off with a sharp knife;
• Only healthy plant parts are suitable for harvesting. There should be no signs of disease, pest infestation and other defects;
• To make an accurate description of the plant, information about the species should be recorded while they are still in their natural habitat.

Options and rules for drying plants

Almost any flower, from a simple field chamomile to a noble rose, can turn into an excellent material for postcards and panels. To reduce drying losses, you need to know how to properly store your craft plants. There are many ways to prepare the material, thanks to which you can make the raw material flat or preserve its original shape and color.

Natural drying

The easiest way to dry is outdoors. It is popular with private home owners. It is enough to collect flowers or herbs, form small bouquets and hang them on a rope by the stems. If the bundles are not thick, they can simply be spread out on a flat surface. A paper napkin is laid under them and left in a well-ventilated place. Covering, exposing the herbarium to the sun is not recommended.

The natural drying method allows you to prepare a large amount of plant material at once. This process can take 1-3 weeks, depending on the thickness of the stem and the size of the bud. It is necessary to understand that any workpiece will straighten and it will be difficult to give it a curved shape. Elements for the future decor are folded according to a conceived plan and fixed. After drying, it is enough to sprinkle the stem with varnish.

Flat press drying

This method will help to make the plants as attractive as possible and keep them in that form for a long time. This technique was one of the first to appear and remained the most popular for many years. But flat drying is not suitable for all plants. For particularly juicy specimens, the moisture-absorbing sheets will have to be changed several times a day.

The most popular way to dry flat leaves is to place them in a large book between pages. Spread the greens and cover with paper. For weight add a press. It can be several other books or any heavy object (iron, water container, etc.). The main thing is to provide complete rest to the samples, to exclude their shifting.

If the book version is suitable for amateurs, then a special press is used for large-scale professional drying. A more complex design consists of two identical planks with holes along the edges for fastening. Plant elements are laid on a plane and clamped with strings. For better and faster drying, the press is taken outside in the daytime.

How to make a press with your own hands

Making a good plant dryer at home is easy. You will need two pieces of plywood about the size of album sheet, a drill, four bolts with nuts, several sheets of thick cardboard. The work is as follows:

1. Mark holes along the edges of the tree and drill them taking into account the dimensions of the thread;
2. Insert the bolts into the lower base of the product;
3. We put cardboard, we place plants for the herbarium on it;
4. Cover with blotting paper and another sheet of cardboard, arrange the leaves in several layers;
5. We put the wooden cover on the bolts and tighten;

During drying, all plants acquire the shape of the surface on which they lie. Corrugated cardboard, corrugated napkins can be used only when it is necessary to create a certain pattern.

Bulk drying in bulk solids

To keep the samples as natural as possible, dry in bulk is used. In this way, you can get stunning natural specimens for volumetric paintings, bouquets, children's crafts. You will need to choose a container and filler that is suitable in size. Any material that absorbs moisture can be used as a drying agent. Silicone gel, cat litter based on it, sand and others will do.

Place the samples, caps down, in a deep bowl and carefully fill in the bulk material for volumetric drying. It is important to act slowly, being careful not to damage the delicate petals. All parts of the plants must be completely covered.

Drying time depends on the type and size of the plants. On average, it is 2-3 weeks. When the time comes to get the blanks for the herbarium, you need to pour the top layer of the filler and gently pull on the stem. The remaining bulk material is not suitable for reuse.

Pour water into the prepared container, add glycerin in a ratio (3: 1). Knead the mixture well. On the stem of each plant, we make longitudinal cuts with a knife or blade, immerse it in liquid. In such an environment, the workpieces should be 3-5 days. During this time, the solution must be added as it will evaporate quickly.

You can determine the degree of impregnation by color. In finished plants, the petals and leaves darken noticeably. After removal, the samples should be spread out on paper and placed in a dark place protected from dust. To give the buds their original color, they can be tinted a little from a spray bottle, or food coloring can be added at the stage of immersion in glycerin.

Fast drying with household appliances

Express drying with household appliances shortens this process to one day, but can negatively affect the quality of the plant. Due to the high probability of spoiling the sample, such methods are resorted to only as a last resort. You can organize home drying using the following household appliances:

• Iron. The natural material is placed between two sheets of paper, ironed with a hot iron until the moisture completely evaporates.
• Microwave. It is necessary to lay the flowers in layers between two tiles and tie. Layers can be made from cardboard or watercolor paper.
• Oven. Large flowers on stems are placed on a dry baking sheet and processed at a low temperature.
• Hair dryer. Leaves and flowers are blown with hot air, regulating its temperature. To prevent the samples from curdling, drying is carried out with pauses in several approaches.

How to use dried samples

After the most difficult stages of preparing the herbarium have been passed, you can start creating original interior decorations, making beautiful crafts. Rare samples can be added to the collection or put away for storage until the right moment. There are many interesting ideas for using dried plants for practical and aesthetic benefits.

A dedicated sample book can be used as a storage place or to showcase collectible vegetation. You can purchase a ready-made special-purpose product in a store or make it yourself. Absolutely any design - with the ability to group by color, type, size. Plants can be permanently attached or temporarily fixed.

A good album for a herbarium can only be on paper. Natural materials will be better preserved if they are in contact only with tracing paper and cardboard. One page can contain one instance or group. If the herbarium is being created for future use, the samples can be placed in transparent files and collected in a binder folder.

Creation of paintings and panels

Flat wall or floor decor is one of the simplest interior decorations. A panel of dried herbs or flowers can be of any size, represent a rare single specimen or various compositions. Small pictures of yellow leaves are made in schools with the onset of autumn.

To create a flat craft, you will need a wooden photo frame, a sheet of paper, two identical A4 glasses and strong glue. We cover one glass with a white sheet and lay out the plants on it according to the planned scheme. It is easier to lay out from the middle of the sheet, gradually moving towards the edges. We cover the plants with a second glass and place them in a frame, having previously coated the edges with glue.

A handmade postcard made from natural materials will be the best gift. Bulky flowers or flat leaves can be used as decor. We select a suitable size and color cardboard, lay out the dried blanks on it. They must be fixed with glue. To exclude falling and deformation of the leaves, cover them with self-adhesive film for books. Press the top layer of the postcard and iron it well with the handle of scissors, getting rid of voids. Cut off the excess film at the edges.

The gift card does not have to be standard sizes. As a base, you can use a regular sheet of paper or a thin strip-bookmark. You can arrange it in landscape or book form, with the addition of a picture.

Making decorative wreaths

The original interior decoration does not have to be timed to a specific holiday. A beautiful craft can be hung on a door or wall at any time. Herbarium collected in summer and autumn is used as the main parts. Properly dried samples can be attached to the ring any time of the year.

To create an autumn wreath from dry material, you will need to stock up on a lot of bright flowers and leaves. For the frame you will need wire, threads, cling film. Bows, beads, butterflies and other trifles are suitable as additional decor. You can make a natural wreath quickly and correctly if you follow the following instructions:

1. Preparing the base. We twist the wire with a ring several times. At this stage, it is necessary to provide a loop for hanging the finished product.
2. We divide herbariums into bouquets, apply to the frame.
3. Cut off a 5 cm coil from a roll of cling film.
4. We wrap dry plants alternately to the base with a film, trying to add volume to the product.

If the dry blanks have lost their color during storage or there is simply not enough of the required types for crafts, the already finished wreath can be coated with paint of any color from a spray bottle.

Compositions: rules for composing from dried flowers

Plants that look attractive after drying are grown on purpose by many summer residents. They can remain on site all winter for decorative purposes, or they can be plucked green and dried for stunning volumetric compositions. Lunaria, immortelles, heathers, haretail and others are planted more often.

To create a composition of dried flowers, you need a low and wide pot. The container does not have to have holes at the bottom, it performs an exclusively decorative function. In order for the plants to stand longer and not sprinkle, a floral sponge is placed on the bottom of the vase. With the help of scissors, we give the foam flora the required shape and insert the plant stems into it. The design of the composition should follow the following rules:

• The largest elements should be displayed first of all according to the idea. Better to place them in the center.
• We distribute dried flowers of the original shape, color, or of which the smallest amount, evenly.
• Insert vertical elements. The best place for spike-like plants is next to the most expressionless flowers.
• Place bushy twigs around the edges of the composition, for example, heather.
• The remaining voids must be decorated with low small plants.

Herbarium storage and care

Since dried plants are very hygroscopic, moisture is their first enemy. In dampness, they instantly deteriorate. You can store the herbarium only in a dry room, in closed albums or folders. To protect valuable collections from insect attacks, they are periodically treated with insecticides.

To keep the collection of dry plants as long as possible, it must be handled with care. Fragile specimens react negatively even to the slightest external influence (temperature rise, humidity, shaking, etc.). For the handling of valuable historical herbarium collections, special techniques have been developed, indicated on title page each meeting.

Every collector is simply obliged to label all plants with a label. A stock of dry wood that has not yet been glued in or has not been used for decoration should be stored in special folders with laid sheets or in reams of paper.

Conclusion

Dried plants are not just great decor, but also visual material, material for crafts. You can make a vivid picture or a natural postcard from beautiful leaves, branches. Crafts made from dried raw materials, made even by a child, will perfectly fit into any interior. Eco style accepts everything natural, so a panel of flowers, voluminous compositions will look especially good in it.