Daisies are more than a garden flower. Their simple, sunny look makes them useful in decorating, gifts, crafts and celebrations. This guide collects practical ways to use fresh daisies, along with an important safety note about using flowers with food.
Decorating with daisies
- Simple vases: A jar of daisies on a kitchen table instantly brightens a room. See how to arrange daisy flower bouquets for tips.
- Table scatters: Float daisy heads in shallow bowls of water for an easy centerpiece.
- Bedside flowers: Daisies have little scent, which makes them pleasant for bedrooms.
- Seasonal displays: Combine daisies with spring bulbs or summer flowers.
Gifts and occasions
- Hand-tied bunches: Daisies are affordable and cheerful for birthdays, thank-yous and get-well wishes.
- Weddings: Use them in bouquets, flower crowns and boutonnieres. Read wedding daisies for ideas.
- New-baby gifts: Daisies are traditionally linked to new beginnings; learn more in the meaning of daisies.
- Potted plants: A potted daisy lasts much longer than cut flowers.
Crafts with daisies
- Pressed flowers: Press daisies between sheets of paper inside a heavy book for a couple of weeks, then use them on cards, bookmarks or framed art.
- Daisy chains: Make a small slit in one stem and thread the next stem through. Children have enjoyed this game for generations.
- Flower crowns: Wire small daisies onto a band of floral wire.
- Drawing and painting: Daisies are simple shapes and great subjects for beginner artists.
- Embroidery: Stitch daisy motifs with the lazy daisy stitch.
Daisies and food: a safety note
Some recipes use flowers as decoration, but do not assume garden daisies are safe to eat. Many ornamental flowers are treated with pesticides, and some people may react to plants in the daisy family.
- Only use flowers sold specifically as edible or culinary flowers.
- Do not use florist flowers on food unless they are labeled food-safe.
- If you want daisy-themed cakes, use sugar or fondant decorations instead, for example with daisy cutters.
Daisies in the garden
Daisies also have practical garden uses:
- Their open flowers attract many pollinating insects.
- Low English daisies can edge paths and borders.
- Tall Shasta daisies provide cut flowers all summer.
To grow your own, see our beginner-friendly guide to growing daisies.
Making cut daisies last
- Recut stems at an angle.
- Remove leaves below the waterline.
- Change the water every two days.
- Keep vases away from heat and direct sun.
Quick FAQ
Can I eat daisies from my garden?
It is safest not to. Only eat flowers sold specifically as edible, and avoid any that may have been sprayed.
What is the easiest daisy craft for children?
Daisy chains and pressed-flower bookmarks are simple, low-cost projects that most children enjoy.
Conclusion
From vases and wedding bouquets to pressed-flower cards and daisy chains, daisies have plenty of everyday uses. Enjoy them freely as decoration and in crafts, and keep food uses limited to flowers clearly sold as edible.
Photo: Flower Bouquet-2.jpg by David Condrey, released under CC0.
