Add a little nature to your décor with Tree Bark Flower Vases. An affordable and easy craft project you can do in under an hour.
Happy Monday!
I’m joining my Monday Morning Blooms’ friends for a little flower therapy today!
You can find my flower friends’ links to their blooming inspiration at the bottom of this post.
I hope you had a Happy Easter and are enjoying some beautiful spring weather this week! We had a cold snap over the weekend with the mercury dipping down to below freezing but we’re on a warming trend with temperatures in 70 and 80 degree range this week.
We had a tree fall recently in a wooded area on our property after a week of heavy rain and storms.
When my hubby went out with his chain saw to cut up the tree, I was admiring the texture of the lichen and mossy bits and wondered if I could salvage some, so I removed some of the lose pieces of bark that I was able to peel off the trunk.
When life hands you fallen trees, make Tree Bark Flower Vases.:)
I headed to the recycling bin for some empty metal cans to make the vases.
I had enough bark to cover several cans and an empty 21-ounce protein powder container to make an assortment of flower vases with the tree bark and lichen pieces.
To attach the bark, I used a hot glue gun using Gorilla Glue Sticks (affiliate link).
Gorilla Glue Sticks are ideal for high temperature bonding of wood, metal, plastic and glass. They can also be used in low melt applications with floral material, foam and fabrics. They provide extra working time and are weather resistant.
I added the bark and lichen pieces fitting them together to cover the surface of the cans, letting the size and shape of the bark pieces dictate where I put them. I tried to keep the large pieces in tact whenever possible, cutting and breaking only when necessary to fit the containers.
I decided to let the bark edges extend beyond the top of cans for a natural and organic feel.
I also gathered some pieces of River Birch bark that peel off in pieces from our tree.
I decided it might be easier to cover the surface of the can with birch bark first to conceal the printing on the can, then added the larger bark and lichen pieces on top.
This is a very forgiving and easy process, fitting the pieces together like a puzzle and filling in gaps with lichen bits. If you lose a small piece of bark or lichen, it can be reglued without being obvious.
I plan on giving the finished bark vases a couple of coats of clear matte spray sealer to protect the texture of the lichen and bark.
Loropetalum, also known as Chinese fringe-flower, has been blooming for a couple of weeks now.
The vibrant pink blooms are shockingly bright for winter-weary eyes!
I cut the last of the daffodils, some Lenten roses and fern fronds and went foraging for some blooming branches to mix with some tulips and ranunculus from the grocery store to fill my tree bark vases.
A note about Daffodils in flower arrangements:
Daffodils secrete a milky sap when cut that shortens the vase life of other flowers. To use them in a mixed bouquet, cut them and put them in a vase by themselves overnight. After sitting overnight they will have secreted their sap and they’re ready to add to other flowers as long as you don’t cut the stems again.
Lenton roses have almost finished blooming. . .
The nodding, cup-shaped flowers make a soft white bouquet paired with fern fronds, variegated ivy, green viburnum blooms and some blooming plum tree branches.
I moved the vases to the porch to enjoy and where you could see them a little better without all the shadows. . .
This is an easy and fun craft project if you have access to tree bark using recycled containers for vases. Wouldn’t they make pretty, affordable vases for an outdoor wedding or event?
Find 15 garden DIYs, projects and hacks to welcome spring, HERE.
You’ll find tutorials and details to make Hand Stamped Garden Markers, Mosaic Flower Pots, a Garden Hose Wreath, Gardener’s Sugar Scrub and more!
Visit my flower friends to see their beautiful floral inspiration today:
Shirley at Housepitality Designs
Pam at Everyday Living
Lidy at FrenchGardenHouse
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Between Naps on the Porch
Mary, your bark vases are truly amazing!… To look at that fallen tree and think…bark vases…bark vases… is the mind of an ultimate creative person…which you are!…How wonderful to gather such beautiful flowers from your garden. All of the vases filled with garden blooms are truly sublime! I am so happy to be back with my Bloom friends. I hope you had a most joyous Easter! Now off to find some bark on the wooded lot next door!!! :)
Thanks so much Shirley! We did have a wonderful and quiet Easter, the weather was beautiful. We’re thrilled to have you back with us.♥
Mary, You have outdone yourself again! I am loving your natural arrangement and enjoyed seeing your creative mind at work. The DIY bark vases are beautiful. I am not patient but I see that you are. You make the bark vase look easy. Using the tree bark for your vase was very clever and very effective for your arrangement. Adding the elegance of ranunculus and tulips along with graceful daffodils, Lenton roses, ivy and fern fronds made a delightful arrangement. I knew daffodils secreted a sap but did not know the remedy. Great tip.
Thank you for such an enjoyable post this morning. Love MMB.
Hi Bonnie, It’s such an easy project. It doesn’t require much patience, just some clean up as the bark pieces are messy. Thanks you much for all your sweet comments and visits. ♥
These natural arrangements are lovely. Thank you, Mary, for the idea to make bark containers. Out lot is heavily wooded so it will be easy to obtain the bark. I just have to purchase the Gorilla Glue sticks and I’m always happy to have a new project.
Thank you Ann! I think it’s a project you’ll enjoy as it’s essentially free except for the cost of the glue sticks. ♥
Those are beautiful! And yes, they’d make great vases for a wedding, but I can see them being quite useful for tablescaping many tables (and potting sheds!). I’d be keeping those in my stash if I were you. Love all the use of the spring foraged items, Mary. Spring is such a gift!
Thank you Rita! Yes, the thought crossed my mind that they would work for a woodland table in the fall or Christmas. Hope you’re enjoying some beautiful weather in your neck of the wood and had a Happy Easter. ♥
Mary, the tree bark vases are fabulous and this is a project I must do for sure. With all the barn wedding venues, these bark containers would definitely be perfect. I love ranunculus and your arrangements are so pretty using the Lenten roses. Isn’t it fun to forage for blooms? It is amazing what can be found when you are looking!
It is always a pleasure to join you for Monday Morning Blooms and flower inspiration!
Thanks so much Pam! You have a wonderful property and acreage to forage from. Happy Monday ♥
Mary, I love reading your blog. You are truly creative. Thank you for sharing your creativity. I am not very creative but I love crafting. My 10 year old grandson loves crafting too. I can see this as a fun project with him. Happy belated Easter.
Thank you Patti! Happy belated Easter to you! ♥
Amazing DIY!! Thank you for sharing!! Hope your Easter was Blessed!!!
Thank you Ellen! I hope yours was too! ♥
The bark vases add a gorgeous dimension to your beautiful bouquets! The daffodil sap tip is something to remember – thanks!
Thank you for you visit and comment CC! ♥
What a clever idea. Love the organic look of this project. I’ll be on the lookout for some fallen trees.
Thanks so much Lynne! Happy Monday ♥
So beautiful . . . . so inspiring . . .so amazing. Bark and the combo of your flowers is just amazing.
Thanks so much for your visit and sweet comment Donna! ♥
Oh Mary, I literally gasped when I saw the vases, so beautiful!! What a brilliant idea and fabulous creations! I love the Spring flower mix, especially the white daffodils, I don’t think I’ve ever seen those before… thanks for the tip on the daffodils too, how to make them play well with others! Enjoy those temps this week and happy gardening 🌷🌼🌹
Jenna
Thanks so much Jenna! It’s going to be almost hot here tomorrow and Wednesday, I know you’re going to be warm too! ♥
Mary, Your creativity is amazing. Love the vases and the floral arrangements. They would be perfect for an outside wedding indeed. With the colorful, elegant flowers, your arrangements look as though you prepared for a pretty Spring venue. Everything is just beautiful! Enjoy your week. Clara ❤️
Thanks so much for your sweet comment and visit Clara! I hope your Easter was wonderful and you’re enjoying some beautiful spring weather! ♥
Absolutely beautiful. So creative and inspiring. I have all the “supplies” except for the Gorilla glue sticks. Off to Michaels today. Thank you for sharing your talent. I love clicking on your blog! It’s the best part of the day.
Awww, thank you Anne! Happy Monday to you! ♥
Your vases are stunning with your beautiful flowers. Awesome idea for bark vases. Couldn’t we do this with battery candles too to give them some rustic glamour? Hummm, I might need to give it a try. Thank you!🌻🌷🌹🌸🌺🍄💐
Thank you Sheran! Yes, you could use candles if you didn’t object to the interior of the metal can showing. Happy Monday! ♥
These are beautiful and would work so well with the woodland place settings you did! These feel like Spring, with the earth waking up from her winter slumber. I continue to be amazed by what you have on your property! I love pulling various garden bits from the hard to create arrangements, but I had never thought to make containers. So simple, quick and lovely!
Hi Betsy, thank you! Yes, I thought they might provide a centerpiece for a future table or two :) Happy Monday ♥
Wonderful project! Love your Birch tree, I planted 3, deer love them so not sure they will ever get big and fat to borrow as backdrop, but makes such interesting layering. I have been saving gnarled bark for bird houses, been sitting on them for years, maybe I can ditch mulch and pavers just to play a bit 😉 lovely bouquets, I’m all about the natural bits from the garden!
Oh now you have my wheels turning for a bird abode! You could open your garden and sell tickets for tour when it bursts into bloom. ♥
I love this idea! I’m going to start foraging for bark today. The flowers you chose were also just perfect.
Thank you so much ♥
This is very timely as my husband just brought in a big piece of Birch bark that had blown off the tree in the windy days we’re having. I LOVE the idea of using the lichen covered bark. Curious what the long narrow ferns are that you’ve used in your arrangements? We have Christmas tree fern here but not sure how it would hold up in an arrangement. Thank you!
Thank you Melody! I buy two Kimberly Queen ferns every spring and they last through November. I had to put them in the garage overnight this past weekend with our frost. I cut some of the fronds for the arrangements as there are plenty to spare :)
OH! MY! WORD! Those Vases! WOW! I need to start using the right side of my brain! I am loving your creativity. And oh yes, your flower arrangements were stunning! It’s always fun to visit you.
Have a lovely week my friend.
Thank you Nancy, you made me laugh! I need to start using the left side of my brain :) Hope your Easter was wonderful ♥
Impressive!!! Both the tree bark vases and the arrangements are just wonderful, Mary! I’ve always liked the texture of a bark vases, but never thought of making my own. Kudos to your creative mind!
Hope your Easter weekend was filled with delights.
Thank you Sarah! ♥
You are so dadgum smart! Truly! I wish I had a thimble full of your creativity! I love these vases. Great job!!
Ha, thank you Kim! :) Hope your Easter was wonderful ♥
Mary, these are fabulous! Super creative. Your post about the Russian decorating tips inspired me and I ordered some. Thank you so much. I pretty easily was able to make some sensational looking cupcakes for Easter.
Thank you Alma! I’m so glad you tried the Russian piping tips, aren’t they fun?! Missing your wonderful tables that I still see on Pinterest ♥
A really cool idea!
Thank you Anna! ♥
Stunning results Mary!
Thank you Debbee! I missed your ‘craftiness’ at the last blog hop. Hope you had a wonderful Easter. Puppy kisses for Whiskey ♥
Just this morning, I was walking behind my barn to take a look at the tall ash tree, killed a few years ago by the ash borer. I plan on having most of its large limbs taken off, leaving the trunk and 2 large side trunk for the woodpeckers. I noticed I could take off BIG pieces of bark, but what would I do with it? Thank you for this splendid idea! I have a few shallow glass bowls on my long glass coffee table; they’re filled with birch bark, a wren’s nest and robin’s nest from last year, and long pine cones from my yard. The only things blooming here now are mauve hellebores and forsythia, and both are in vases. Can’t wait to get the bark tomorrow!
Hi Sandy, So glad this might be a way to use your fallen tree! Happy crafting! ♥
How clever you are. Mary, and the vases would be beautiful at an outdoor wedding. The bark adds such texture, and a great way to recycle old cans. I’d love to try this. Thank you for the inspiration.
Thank you Kitty! ♥
Mary, you are such a woodland nymph! Hehe I love how you forage and come up with such GREAT ideas! I have so many fallen trees way out back and typically the bark is peeling off so I should be able to do this! 😁 Guess I am going to have to purchase some gorilla glue sticks. I thought we were going to read how you cut the main limb into differnet sizes and ground out the center of each to make various size vases, lol! I guess you could do that too, if you and David put your mind to it. I know you will have the perfect tablesetting for these, especially at St. Patrick’s Day with leprechauns dancing about or for sure at Christmas with your natural branches of evergreens, cypress, holly and nuts as a table runner. These flowers are over -the-top beautiful! I LOVE those Lenton roses, just awesome. I smiled when you said you cut the last of your daffodils and ours are just now starting to come into bloom, ha! Thanks Mary, another “out of the park, homerun” !
Thanks so much Cyndi, I had to chuckle at ‘woodland nymph’! :) A vase or two might be pretty on a shelf of table in your shed ♥
This is such a beautiful idea! On the hunt now for a fallen limb!! Great inspiration!
Thank so much Lynn!
Absolutely stunning! I have a collection of faux bois planters and your vases are even better. Would you please be more specific about the matte spray preservative? I will be looking for bark to make my own.
Hi Marie, I just picked up a can of Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch Ultra Cover Matte Clear Spray Paint that I found at Target. (Any clear matte spray sealer will work that you find at Lowe’s or Walmart. I didn’t want to use a gloss, to keep it looking natural). I thought it might protect the lichen pieces, keeping them intact over time.
Did the sealer hold preserve your lichen over time? Thank you so much!!
Hi Emma, Yes it does help preserve it. :)
Mary, Mary, quite contrary, I love how your garden grows. My word for 2021 is “joy”, and you bring me so much of it. Thanks for making my day and always inspiring me. I am working on my new She Shed, Kathy’s Kottage, and can’t wait to share some photos. I live in Southern Utah and am embarking on a new venture, “A Unique Boutique of Recycled Garden Art, and more. My goal is to sell out of my Boutique, as well as doing one Trade/Craft show a month. Wish me luck.
Hi Kathy, Thank you for your sweet comment. How exciting to be working on a new shed! I remember those days and the thrill and anticipation. Good luck with your new venture! ♥
Se creative! And they look wonderful. It really adds to the arrangements.
Thank you so much! ♥
These are so pretty, Mary. Thanks for the tutorial. We lost so many trees during the tornado that maybe I can make a couple before the men haul them away.
Oh Ricki Jill, I’m so sorry to hear about the tornado damage, how terrifying it must have been. I’m glad to hear no one was injured. Thoughts and prayer for you and your community. Take care ♥
Mary, your bark covered containers are truly magical for showing off spring blooms! The contrast is wonderful, thank you for sharing such a fun project. Your flowers I love our faux bois planters, and your vases will be such a great compliment. Now all I need to do is find bark. Believe it or not, I may have to buy some! Happy Monday Morning Blooms, friend. You always inspire. Xo Lidy
First of all….love, love, love the “bark vases!!” Secodly….are those “Chinese Fringe Plants” in the first photos…they look like mine…what a year…they are vibrant!!! franki
These are absolutely gorgeous! On my list to make…. thank you for inspiring me! I live, at the moment in Colorado, and have aspen bark available to make some! Thank you!!!