Letting go is hard, so here are some tips to upcycle your greenery.
All good things must come to an end. At least, that’s what they say. Although our greenery is always farm-fresh and built-to-last, it must be cut from its source in order to be made into what it is, meaning it’s drying is inevitable. With proper care, our greenery has a lifespan from 4 days to 6 weeks (visit our blog on caring for your greens for tips), but can be dried and repurposed in creative ways to extend its life beyond that! Keep reading for inventive ways to upcycle your greenery.Plan to reuse your greenery.
We’re not saying you need to rearrange your entire schedule, but if you’re planning on using greenery for an event, consider what other events you may be able to use it for during its lifespan. Is your best friend’s birthday coming up? Use it for her dinner party. Attending a baby shower? Offer your greenery to help out with decorating. Have a corporate event for work? Let your greens adorn the setting! Greenery has this mysterious ability to fit in with most design styles (boho, traditional, moody, whimsical, playful, etc.) and is tough enough to endure multiple uses, making it the perfect centerpiece for multiple events. We once used a full-length garland for a corporate event, birthday dinner, then photoshoot and guests at each event were taken by the beauty of the piece. Plus, if you don’t have another event to use it for, it’s just another excuse to throw a party!
dried podocarpus + myrtle wreath
dried magnolia wreath
dried boxwood wreath
Experiment with colors.
Certain types of greenery dry beautifully when allowed to safely sunbathe away from moisture. Boxwood greenery will turn a vibrant golden hue, while Magnolia transforms into a rich, velvety copper, both beautiful enough to remain untouched and used for years to come. But for some extra fun, these greens can be spray painted! It’s our new favorite trend. Simply pick your color, spray a few coats (we use Rust-oleum Ultra Cover Paint + Primer), making sure to get under leaves, and seal with a UV-protectant spray!
Here are a few of our favorites:
Pro Tip: mini Boxwood wreaths sprayed pink or blue make the perfect baby homecoming gift!
Get crafty.
Along with Magnolia and Boxwood, all of our varieties of Eucalyptus dry beautifully. If your greenery mix contains Eucalyptus, you can cut out dried sprigs and repurpose them into a simple, decorative bouquet. Other ideas for using dried greenery:- Make placeholders out of dried Magnolia leaves
- Tie sprigs to silverware for whimsical place settings
- Make a colorful string garland with dried fruit
Sprigs of greenery make the perfect accent for place settings
Ultimately, plan ahead for using your greenery.
Like we said, it’s the perfect excuse to party! For real though, get creative with your greenery and make the most out of its vibrancy while it lasts. Note that not all mixes of greenery will dry as pretty as others. If you’re ordering a greenery mix that doesn’t include the greenery types we discussed above, just follow these tips to maximize its lifespan. Lastly, if you can’t upcycle, recycle! Greenery is biodegradable and recyclable once all wire is removed. Use garden shears to cut and remove the wire from your greenery and compost or recycle the foliage once you’re finished with it. On behalf of Mother Earth, we say “thank you” for upcycling your greenery! Shopping List:- Eucalyptus garland - see more Eucalyptus options here
- Boxwood garland
- Rust-oleum spray paint
- UV Protectant spray
- Garden shears
