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What you'll need

• A selection of flowers (e.g. cosmos, lavender, marigold, salvia, nasturtium, geranium, zinnia, nigella, verbena, poppy) 
• A selection of leaves (e.g. geranium, lemon balm, chamomile, honeysuckle, cosmos, maple) 
• Two pieces of cotton or linen fabric (or one piece folded over) 
• Medium-sized mallet, hammer or large oval stone 
• Large wooden board or thick cardboard to place underneath fabric

What to do

1. Gather your materials and tools 
2. Lay your fabric on the wooden board 
3. Arrange flowers and leaves on the fabric 
4. Cover with the second piece of fabric or fold over 
5. Pound each flower and leaf with the mallet until the pigment transfers 
6. Unfold to reveal your print - there will be a design on both sides 
7. Leave to dry for at least 24 hours 
8. Shake to remove dried petals and leaves 
9. Iron the fabric to seal the colour and enhance the print 

Top tips 

• Darker-coloured flowers often produce the most vivid prints
• Choose a dry, sunny day for best results
• Try printing onto tote bags, bunting, pillowcases or handkerchiefs
• This hands-on activity is perfect for community gardening sessions, school projects or you could try it at home and share the results with friends and neighbours! 
• This activity involves using hammers or mallets. Children should be supervised by a parent, carer or responsible adult at all times