This is an experiment in preserving leaves. About a fortnight ago, I laminated them with my super-dooper new laminator, which was a Christmas pressie. Laminators become your best friend if you are a primary school teacher and we were all advised to buy our own at the start of our course.

You laminate everything. Some things you laminate and then draw or write all over, others you laminate and stick on the wall, other things you laminate and use as learning aids. Our science lecturer at Uni suggested laminating leaves or flowers as a way of preserving them because once laminated they keep for ages. (He said.) So, I thought I’d test out his assertion with a few leaves that I picked on the day I was given my laminator (a Christmas gift from my lovely in-laws). I love the idea of having a forest of laminated leaves all over the windows of the classroom. If I make it, I’m going to do it.

I love the access this technique gives you to the intricate and delicate workings of the plant. By putting the laminated leaf in front of light you can see its life support system laid out like a road map of life. Preservation isn’t exactly keeping them alive, more that it means their beauty fades more slowly. I wonder what would happen if I laminated myself? Maybe that could offer me some self-preservation?