Who doesn’t love a beautiful bouquet of roses? Whether we are gifting ourselves or being gifted on birthdays, valentines, romantic evening dates or having spaces decorated for events, they are always a pretty sight to behold. Most often, we will place them in a vase and change the water once a while until the petals wilt or throw them away once we are done. Well, instead of throwing them out, here are practical ways to recycle them.

• Make Rose Sugar; Wash your rose petals and blend them with sugar. Lay out the paste on an oven dish and put to dry in oven. Once dry, store in clean, dry container. Rose Sugar is used to sweeten coffee and hot or iced tea, make icing, and top cookies and other baked goods.

• Make Rose Salt; Blend dry rose petals with salt. Lay the paste in the sun to make sure it is completely dry. Once dry, add in coarse salt, mix and store in clean, dry container. Rose salt is used for aromatic baths to sooth skin.

• Make Rose Jam; Wash your rose leaves mix them in sugar and lemon. Let it sit for a while. During that time, mix 2 cups of white sugar with three cups of water and put to boil. Once it starts to boil, pour in your rose mix and boil some more. Once mixture gets thick, set to cool and store in a dry glass jar. Store in refrigerator for up to two weeks. scoop with clean dry spoons.

• Make Home made Rose Petals Champagne; Dissolve 0.75kg sugar in water, add 1 cup fragrant rose petals, lemon slices from 2 lemons and 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar. Steep for 24 hours. Strain into screw cap bottles, squeezing liquid from the petals as you go. Wait 2-3 weeks. Serve lightly chilled or with ice cubes for a refreshing drink.

How do you recycle your rose flowers? Which of these 4 will you try first? Let me know in the comments.