Beyond the Garden: Getting Creative with Begonia Crafts

We all know begonias make beautiful flowers to enjoy in the garden, but did you know how many creative uses there are for them? You can eat them, craft with them, and even dye fabric with them! These versatile flowers can be used in all sorts of surprising, unique ways. Read on for lots of fun begonia crafts that will inspire you to get creative.

Eat Them

Pick flowers early in the morning, as this is when they have the highest water content and are not at all droopy. Begonias have a sour, citrusy flavor and look wonderful topping canapés or cupcakes, or garnishing a Pink Lady cocktail.

To make a Pink Lady, combine ½ oz. each gin, lemon juice, and grenadine with the white from 1 egg. Strain and serve in a chilled glass with a sprig of rosemary and a few begonias floating on top.

 

 

Take a Begonia Bath

You can dry petals to use in begonia crafts and natural beauty recipes. They make a nice addition to soothing bath salts and give them a delicate floral scent.

Recipe:

Simply mix together 2 cups Epsom salts, 4 tablespoons baking soda, and a couple of handfuls of dried begonia petals.

If you like, you can add a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Store in a Mason jar and add a scoop or two to your next bath for a relaxing at-home spa experience.

Decorate a Phone Case

Make a unique and beautiful phone case with begonia petals. Press begonias (and any other botanicals you want) in a book and when they are fully dried, fix them with small dabs of glue to a plain phone case in the arrangement you like.

 

After the glue dries, apply 1-2 coats of clear epoxy resin to protect the flowers.

Customize Napkins

You can even use begonias to dye fabric! These personalized begonia-patterned napkins are fun and easy to make. Use 100% cotton fabric, as other material won’t take up the pigment well. Place a plastic bag underneath your napkin to protect your work surface. Lay fresh begonias face-down on the napkin and cover with another plastic bag. Gently hammer the begonia through the plastic bag until it feels flattened. Carefully remove the plastic bag and the begonia. The flower’s natural dye will have transferred to the fabric. Repeat until you have the pattern you want.

Plant them in Unexpected Places

Try planting your begonias in surprising places. You can use almost anything as a planter, and items like colorful rain boots and vintage suitcases look positively adorable.

You can even use a plastic children’s’ ball with the top cut out to make a creative planter. Make sure the item you choose as a planter has good drainage, or drill drainage holes if necessary. Line the container with newspaper before adding potting soil and then add some colorful begonias.

A BIG thank you to Benary for sharing their creative ideas for begonia crafts with us! Benary is the creator of BIG® Begonias, a new generation of begonia with remarkable traits, including substantial height and flower size, and the ability to thrive in sun or shade in a wide range of climates. Drought-tolerant and self-cleaning, BIG® is a big deal for gardeners looking for a low-maintenance, attention-getting plant. Check them out on Facebook and keep an eye out for these beauties in your local garden center!