Springtime is when flowers start to bloom, filling gardens, parks and the countryside with colour and beautiful smells. In the Royal Collection there are some amazing artworks inspired by flowers – take a look and then make your own!

This beautiful pansy flower was made by a very famous Russian jeweller called Carl Fabergé in about 1900. The petals are made of gold and enamel and it even has a real diamond in the middle! It was designed to look exactly as if it was a real flower.

Did you know? The vase looks as though it is filled with water, but this is a trick – it is actually a solid piece of stone called rock crystal, which is clear like glass!

Artists and craftspeople use all sorts of materials to make flowers. The flowers on this fancy cabinet (called a 'commode') are created from polished stones that have been cut and fitted together like a jigsaw (look closely at the leaves!). This technique is known as pietra dura. The artist has chosen the stones carefully so that the colours reflect real flowers. You can get a closer look in this short film:

Now it's your turn!

Using paper or felt, follow the simple instructions in the activity sheet to create your own colourful posy of flowers.