As Labor Day draws near, I’m reminded of how quickly summer always seems to end. Before I know it, the kids are back to school, the leaves are changing, and all the summer flowers are gone! Outdoor roses, lilies and poppies disappear in such a short period of time that it makes you wish Christmas would come a little quicker for poinsettia season.

If you’re also feeling attached to the beautiful summer flowers that decorated your lawn and garden this season, I have a few ways for you to preserve them and memorialize your favorites.

1. Placed in a glass ornament.

The easiest way to preserve your favorite summer flowers is in a glass ball ornament.

Start by drying out your flowers. This can be done a number of ways, such as by leaving them on a windowsill for a few weeks. Using a dehydrator is one of the best ways to keep your petals fully intact. Then, carefully slide your flowers into a clear glass ball. Write a message on the outside of the glass, such as “Summer 2017 Roses” so that you can look back and remember caring for them later.

2. Pressed between glass pieces.

Pressing flowers is a common way of saving your favorites by flattening them. This process usually retains their color and makes it easy to use them in crafts.

To do this, simply find an old thick book and open it to a page around the middle. Then, place two fresh pieces of white paper on either side and sandwich your flower in between. After a few weeks, find your pressed flower and delicately remove it from the book. My favorite way to decorate with pressed flowers is to place them in a small picture frame so that it can hang on your wall or even your Christmas tree!

3. Dipped in wax.

If you’d like to try and keep your flowers for decorating in an arrangement, dipping them in wax can keep them stiff for months. The colors won’t last this way, but it’s a wonderful craft for placing them in a decorative bouquet long after they would have died.

Place a large pot on the stove filled with water on medium heat, and have a separate smaller pot set aside that can fit inside of the larger pot. A double boiler is ideal for this process, similar to how you would make fondue.

Using paraffin wax cut up into small pieces, place the wax into the smaller pot. Then, place the smaller pot into the larger one and stir the wax as it melts. When you go to dip your flowers, start by holding the stem to dip the petals, then let the petals dry and harden, and then flip your flower to dip the stem. Once all your flowers are waxed, place them decoratively around the home just as you would fake flowers.

Which were your favorite plants or flowers from over the summer? Tell us in the comments below!