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    Home » Gardening

    How to Make a Herbarium

    by Patti Estep · Jun 15, 2025

    Cover of a herbarium journal over the inside page of a pressed monarda flower.

    Learn how to make a herbarium journal, its history, and why they are used today. Make your own by collecting and recording your own plants.

    Floral covered herbarium journal.

    Traditionally, a herbarium was a book of collected raw plant material that had been pressed or preserved to aid in the research of using plants for medicinal purposes. Usually, all parts of the plant were represented, including the roots, stems, leaves, and fruits. The collector would then annotate the page with identification remarks and findings.

     

    Antique image of a Herbarium by Amos Eaton - 1830 ~
    Herbarium by Amos Eaton - 1830

    Today, a herbarium has evolved into a place where such documentation resides. More of a library or museum with huge data banks of material for education and research. One of the largest Herbaria is the Kew Herbarium, located in England, with more than 6 million specimens. Here in the US, we have several; the two largest are the New York Botanical Herbarium and the US National Herbarium in DC, each housing around three million specimens.

     

    Lemon Balm Botanical Illustration.

    I have always loved beautiful botanical illustrations that show the parts of a particular plant, so I was really interested in learning more about a herbarium.

    While researching the topic, I came across several references to Emily Dickinson, the famous poet. Apparently, Emily, at the age of 14, started creating her own herbarium. Currently, you can find a complete color digital facsimile at Harvard University's Houghton Library. I also came across a digital Herbarium at the University of Wisconsin Extension. This digital herbarium has images of real northern Wisconsin plants along with their identifying characteristics.

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    Northern Forest Digital Herbarium page of a dogwood specimen.

    From there, it didn't take long to realize that there are many catalogs of herbaria that you can view online. The big ones are Kew Herbarium Catalogue and The C.V. Starr Virtual Herbarium from the New York Botanical Garden.

    Make Your Own Modern Herbarium Journal

    • Collect some plant specimens of flowers, including the roots, stems, and flowers.
    • Use a plant press to flatten and dry the herbarium specimens. Or simply press the plant specimens between blotting paper, like phone book pages or newspaper pages, to help absorb moisture. Then place heavy books or bricks on top until dry.
    • Mount them in a notebook with acid-free adhesive like rubber cement or PVA glue. I think a sketch pad or watercolor book would work well. Use tweezers to place small, delicate parts such as flower petals.
    • Make a specimen label or hand-write the scientific name and common name, the date collected, plant parts, and any other notes about your collection.
    Lady's mantel pressed into a herbarium book.

    I have a few flowers I pressed for other projects from last year, so I have already started with Alchemilla mollis, or Lady's Mantle.

    Monarda stem in a herbarium journal.

    Here's some of my favorite beebalm. This variety is Monarda 'Blue Stocking' and grows well in the garden.

    Lacecap hydrangea flowers and calibrachoa in a herbarium book.

    Another page has some pressed blooms from my lacecap hydrangea and one pretty dark purple calibrachoa or million bells.

    It would be fun to fill this book up with all of my plants. It would be wonderful for keeping a record of them all.

    Patti signature

    More Garden Planning & Crafting

    • Printable Flower Garden Journal
    • Handmade Flower Press
    • DIY Handmade Paper with Flowers
    Floral covered Herbarium journal.
    « Pasta Salad with Feta Cheese

    About Patti Estep

    Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Suz

      October 25, 2019 at 12:52 pm

      I was using tape vs pressing them. ... Is pressing them better or longer lasting?

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        October 26, 2019 at 6:39 am

        Suz, not at all. I just helps keep the book flatter but some specimens are too thick to press anyway.

        Reply
    2. Carole West

      June 03, 2019 at 7:57 am

      I love this idea... When we find our own property this will be a neat to incorporate. Just a fun project to look back on. Maybe I should just begin one now?

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        June 03, 2019 at 8:03 am

        Yes Carole. There is no time like the present. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Carrie

      April 26, 2017 at 2:43 pm

      Hi Patti,

      How did you mount them? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        April 27, 2017 at 6:08 am

        Hi Carrie,

        I used regular white glue, however, you may want to consider an acid free glue to avoid yellowing over time.
        Hope that helps,
        Patti

        Reply
    4. Donna Harvey

      December 11, 2016 at 12:42 pm

      Hi Patti, I love Herbs too, I used to study them. They are not only beautiful but useful. That is such a lovely Book, and the idea of drying and framing them would be really pretty hanging a potting shed. Love to see what you come up with for the fall.

      Reply
    5. Vanessa

      February 05, 2015 at 10:34 am

      This is a great idea and so pretty.

      Reply
      • Patti

        February 05, 2015 at 10:49 am

        Thanks Vanessa!

        Reply
    6. Amy | Canary Street Crafts

      February 05, 2015 at 8:09 am

      I love this idea. I also love vintage botanical illustrations and it would be fun to make my own.

      Reply
      • Patti

        February 05, 2015 at 10:08 am

        Hi Amy,

        That's exactly what I thought. Maybe I'll post my finished product in the fall.
        Thanks for stopping by.
        Patti

        Reply
    7. Charlotte

      February 04, 2015 at 12:58 pm

      Hi Patti,
      I really enjoyed this post - what a great idea to make your own herbarium. I have always loved the old botanical drawings just like you. I have a small collection of pages, with wild flowers, ripped out from an old botanical book. I bought them on e-bay for a small fee. I will frame them and use them as decoration over a sideboard. Thank you for sharing this great tips and interesting history. I pinned it.

      Charlotte - My Green Nook

      Reply
      • Patti

        February 04, 2015 at 1:31 pm

        Charlotte,
        So glad to hear you liked this post.
        I love your idea for using the antique wild flower pages.
        Thanks for stopping by and the pin.
        Patti

        Reply

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