5 Spring Blooms You Can Use To Make Enchanting Pressed Botanical Art

A book is laying open flat with pressed flowers

As May is in full swing, it's finally feeling like spring. More and more people are headed outdoors, enjoying the warmer weather. While spending time outside, this is the perfect time to be on the lookout for flowers to pick. And on rainy days, you can keep on celebrating the season by pressing flowers and making lush compositions to keep spring in your home year-round.

Not all flowers are as easily pressed as others though. To help you decide on which blooms to collect, we compiled a list of great spring options with input from professional artist and My Modern Met Academy instructor Anna Zakirova.

Once you've collected your treasure trove of botanicals, sign up for My Modern Met Academy's Beyond Bouquets: Turning Pressed Flowers Into One-of-a-Kind Art. In the class, Zakirova will walk you through the flower pressing process so that novices can commune with nature at home and create unique pieces. Over the hour-long class, students will gain a deeper appreciation for natural beauty while simultaneously flexing their creative muscle.

Here are five flowers that become beautiful springtime souvenirs when turned into pressed art.

Photo: Anna Zakirova

Pansies

Depending on where you live, pansies may already be in bloom and will continue coming into bloom until mid-summer. Zakirova is expecting these flowers to bloom in her garden in about a week and admits, “I love their cute look and the variety of colors.”

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Bird Cherry Blossoms

There are several species of these florals across the world and they tend to blossom from April through June. Zakirova loves to press these blossoms even when they aren't fully opened yet. “These flowers retain their sweet scent even when they dry out,” she shares.

Photo:KSENA32/Depositphotos

Forget-Me-Nots

Forget-me-nots bloom mostly in April and May, so don't wait too long to seek these blue beauties out. While they have a short season, they are self-spreading and perennial—meaning even if you forget about them in the garden, they'll keep coming back.

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Bluebells

These mid to late spring bloomers are in flower for about five weeks before going dormant. In the UK, they are often found in ancient woodlands and are associated with mischievous fairies in mythic folklore.

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Violets

Despite their name, violets come in a range of tones. Not only will they add a pop of saturated jewel tones to your art, but they make excellent edible decorations.