Horticultural and Handmade for the Holidays!

With the holidays rapidly approaching, why not give the lucky gardeners on your list a creative, fabulous and envy-worthy handmade gift? 

It won’t break the bank and is sure to be met with ooo’s and ahh’s by the recipient lucky enough to get it. The shopping list is minimal, as is the amount of time it takes to make the gift.

I found most of the items for this craft at Missouri Botanical Garden.  The rest of the items can be found in your backyard (or on a walk in the woods) and any craft store. 

You’ll need a small Orchid, air plant or Staghorn fern.  Most nurseries and the botanical garden have these.  On the day that George and I went to the botanical garden, Orchids could be found on sale for as little as $6 and Air plants were as little as $3. 

Don’t buy orchids in bloom for this project. They’ll drop their blooms and you will have paid big bucks to watch them whither and die. 

You’ll also need some moss and a piece of wood. Again, I bought my moss at the garden, but moss and bark can be found on a walk in the forest, your back yard or at your favorite craft store. 

Lastly, you’ll need some fishing line.  If you fish, you’ve already got the line.  If not, add this to the list for the craft store. 

Gather all your ingredients and get ready to be crafty! 

Oh, I forgot- the last item you’ll need is a helper.  It’s nearly impossible to finish this project without another set of hands.  Thanks, George, for being my extra set of hands.

I like to work outside so I don’t make a mess.  I flip the lid to my trashcan over and use it as my work surface.  Then, when I’m finished, all the debris goes directly into the trash. 

The first step is to figure out what plant looks good on what piece of wood.  I have a huge cottonwood tree in the back yard that drops pieces of bark on a continual basis.  I save the largest ones for crafts like this. 

The first step is to remove the plant you wish to use from its pot.  Remove all the bark (if it’s an orchid) or soil if you’re using a Staghorn fern.  Lay the plant on the largest portion of the bark (or wood) and see if it’s a good fit. 

Orchids and Staghorn ferns have very little in the way of root systems.  Air plants have absolutely no root systems.  If you like the way your plant looks on the wood, grab your moss.

By placing moss over the roots of the plant you chose, you’re giving it the best possible chance for a long and happy life.  The moss will hydrate the plant’s roots, allowing for optimum growth. 

George and I found that the best looking finished specimens had a large piece of moss on the roots and a smaller piece of moss behind the plant. 

Once you’re happy with the placement of the moss, grab your fishing line, scissors and that extra set of hands.

The best way to be sure that you’ll catch all the moss with the fishing line is to work in criss-cross patterns.  Begin at the top of the bark, going back and forth around your wood until you think that you’ve caught all the moss. 

Ask your helper to place their finger under the knot you’re about the make.  Pull the line as taught as you can, ensuring that you haven’t crossed over a leaf or caught your friend’s finger in the knot.  You should have the roots and a very small amount of plant covered by the moss and fishing line. 

If you’re questioning whether or not you’ve got enough fishing line to hold the plant in place, go back and add more.  Now is the time to do a thorough once-over and get it perfect.  Wow, we’re almost finished!  Clip off the fishing line off just beyond the knot.

The last step is to decide how you want to display your finished project.  I used a staple gun, stapling the back of my bark.  I placed a small piece of wire under the staple so I could hang my masterpiece. 

Alternately, the plants can be displayed on a windowsill or hung on the patio to summer outdoors.  You can even make a miniature creation using a tiny Air plant. 

By gluing a magnet to the back, you can instantly decorate a refrigerator or file cabinet.  There is no end to the way these one-of-a-kind horticultural stunners can be displayed. 

This project can’t be beat if you’re counting your pennies at holiday time.  My orchid cost $6, the bark and fishing line were free and the moss expense was minimal.  Try and top that for a creative, memorable and inexpensive gift!

For the first few weeks, make sure that the plant is getting sufficient moisture.  I keep mine by the sink and run them underwater every morning.  How easy is that!

After we finished our works of art, we began thinking of other ways to get crafty with plants. 

If you collect driftwood, you could create an arrangement of numerous types of orchids and display it on a coffee table.  If you collect seashells, why not tie an orchid or Air plant to the inside of a conch or clamshell. 

You get the idea…let your imagination be your guide!