Whenever I discover a leaf skeleton in the hotel garden it feels like a little piece of magic. Rare good luck, like finding a four leaf clover or seeing a double rainbow. The circumstances for nature to create a leaf skeleton have to be just right: damp enough for the fleshy parts of the leaf to decompose, sheltered enough (probably under other leaves) to encourage microscopic organisms to eat away at those leaves, and somehow exposed at just the right time for me to find the leaf while all those lovely veins are still in place, before it breaks or blows away.
But because they are so hard to find, I wanted to learn how to help nature along, and make my own leaf skeletons. Turns out there are several ways to do it, following processes that range from a couple of hours to a couple of weeks, and using everything from water and pantry ingredients to caustic substances requiring rubber gloves and goggles, and straight‑up bleach.
Preparing
I have tried three of the non‑toxic methods, and am here to share them with you today.
Step 1: Pick & prepare the leaves
No matter what method you use, some steps to making leaf skeletons are always the same:
Choose your leaves: for best results, choose leaves that have a strong vein system. Tougher, more waxy leaves have better results than softer, younger leaves lean the leaves: gently rinse them in a bowl of water, and wipe any dirt or mud away with a soft cloth. If the dirt is stubborn, use an old toothbrush to (gently) scrape it away
Method 1 : Water
Pros:
* Completely safe
* Nature's method
* Gentle on leaves
Cons:
* Takes several weeks
* Gets gross and smelly
Take a shallow dish (like a baking dish) and fill it with water. The dish should be ceramic or glass, not metal (I don't know why. Maybe it's to avoid rust, or has something to do with the minerals or chemicals in metal?). Place the leaves in the dish (it's ok if they're on top of each other) and weigh them down with something heavy to ensure they stay covered with water. Leave the water to sit for between three and four weeks. It will get murky, and start to smell really bad (like a vase when you've left cut flowers in it for too long). Take one leaf out of the murky water, place it on a flat surface, and gently try to brush away the gunk and membrane from the leaf. Use an old toothbrush (softly), or a paint brush if you're worried the toothbrush will break the leaf. If it's too tough, put the leaf back into the water and give it a few more days to soak. Rinse the leaf in clean water. If necessary, continue brushing away any remaining pieces of the pulp while it's in the water. Once you're done, lay it on a paper towel to dry.
Method 2 : Baking Powder
Pros:
* Completely safe
* Easy to find ingredients
* Relatively fast results
Cons:
* Can be rough on leaves
Dissolve equal parts bicarbonate soda and baking powder in a saucepan of water. I used one tablespoon of each, and approximately a litre of water. Place your leaves into the pot, and bring it to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, stirring it gently from time to time. The water will froth up, and will get brown and murky. Watch the leaves until they have softened, and you think they are ready to clean away. This could take several hours. If necessary, top up the water from time to time to ensure they leaves remain covered. Take the leaves out of the saucepan and place them into a shallow tray of clean water. Using and old toothbrush, gently try to brush away the gunk and membrane from one leaf at a time. If the leaf is too fragile, use a paint brush instead of a toothbrush. Once you're done, lay the leaf on a paper towel to dry.
Method 3 : Washing Soda Pros: * Supposedly faster * Everyone love to follow this method as it's easy Cons: * Dangerously caustic * Hard to find ingredients * Can be rough on leaves Note: washing soda is not the same as baking soda. Washing soda is sodium carbonate: it's a powerful cleaner and non‑toxic, but is highly caustic and definitely not edible. Wear gloves and goggles while working with it, and try not to inhale any dust that might float up when you stir. In a saucepan, dissolve 3/4 cup of washing soda in about one litre of water. Place your leaves into the pot, and bring it to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, stirring it gently from time to time. The water will froth up, and will get brown and murky. Watch the leaves until they have softened, and you think they are ready to clean away. This could take several hours. If necessary, top up the water from time to time to ensure they leaves remain covered. Take the leaves out of the saucepan and place them into a shallow tray of clean water. Using and old toothbrush, gently try to brush away the gunk and membrane from one leaf at a time. If the leaf is too fragile, use a paint brush instead of a toothbrush. Once you're done, lay the leaf on a paper towel to dry.
Finish & Decorate
Press the leaves n keep them gentle Leave cleaned leaf skeletons in a warm, sheltered place to dry for approximately one hour. Once you are sure the leaf is completely dry, place it between two paper towels and store it under a heavy book until you are ready to use it.
Time to Decorate I prefer to leave the leaf skeletons their natural color, but you can absolutely play with other decorative ideas if you wish. After all the pulp has been removed but before you dry and press the leaf skeleton, you could place it in bleach to whiten it, or in food coloring. Alternatively, once dried and pressed, you could carefully paint the leaf skeleton (metallics look really great!). That's it! If you decide to make these, let me know how you go. I'd love to see how they turned out
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