How Flowers Use Water
Flowers are gorgeous, and here at the Garden, we know a thing or two about what they need to grow big and strong. After all, we grow thousands of them each year! Throughout the summer, our Horticulture Team is hard at work taking care of them, and one of the biggest tasks is watering. Before we dive into the craft, let’s learn more about why flowers need water!
There are two ways that water is really important for plants. The first is photosynthesis. Since plants don’t eat other things, they have to create their own energy. They do this by using their chlorophyll to convert sunlight, carbon dioxide gas, and water into energy. Photosynthesis is like a recipe, you need all of the ingredients to make the meal. If one component is missing, a plant can’t feed itself. That’s why it’s important that we do our best to give them what they need, like water!
Have you ever seen a plant wilt? That normally means that the plant needs to be watered. The second reason plants need water is that it’s important to their structure. While we need water, if we get dehydrated we don’t flop over. That’s because our cells are different than plants. The shape of plant cells is created by water pressure. Without the water inside, the cell is shapeless and weak, causing the plant to become wilted.
While there are many other smaller ways that plants use water, these are the big ones. To learn more about flowers and water, come check out WPS Garden of Lights! Our display, “Growing Flowers” features giant multi-colored flowers being watered from a watering can. With 8,000 lights, it’s a dazzling sight.
Crafting Instructions
Origami Flower
- Start with a square piece of paper of any color.
2. Fold your square in half, crossing one corner to the other to create a triangle.
3. Fold the triangle in half to create another, smaller triangle.
4. Open the smaller triangle back up, and face the crease towards you.
5. Fold the two corners at the base of the triangle up and away from you.
6. Flip your paper over.
7. Fold in the points on the sides slightly as shown.
8. Turn it over, and you have a beautiful flower! Create just one or a whole bouquet.
Origami Water
- Start with a square piece of blue paper.
2. Fold your square in half, crossing one corner to the other to create a triangle.
3. Unfold your triangle. Place the square so that the crease if pointing towards you.
4. Fold the corners on either side of the crease to the center line, creating a kite shape.
5. On the shorter end, fold in the corners slightly to create a round droplet shape.
5. Now you have the perfect water droplet for your flower!
