Art from the Garden: 25 Beautiful Botanical Projects

Photographer Michaels (The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables) delivers a stellar guide to creating artworks with materials from nature. Noting her instructions are not a blueprint for a precise outcome but inspiration for pursuing one’s own vision, she encourages readers to “try the processes that appeal to you and run with them.” Before embarking on the projects, she offers tips for foraging and collecting botanicals, reminding readers to only use what they need and to be careful not to “smush plants on your way to the chosen one.” Projects include pressing dried flowers to create floral collages on paper or rocks, freezing flowers in unique arrangements to capture photos or make ice buckets, and making papier-mâché lanterns adorned with fall leaves. Crafters also learn how to make botanical-inspired cyanotypes (a sunlight-activated printing process that produces blue and white images); air-dried clay creations, like tiles and small bowls imprinted with floral impressions; and waxed-leaf garlands. All projects include easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions and photos of the elegant finished products. Crafters will be inspired by the possibilities nature has to offer. (May)