Have you ever looked at a beautiful flower pressed in glass and wondered how to preserve flowers? Do you have a special bouquet from a special birthday, a romantic first date, Mother’s Day, or your wedding that you’d love to keep forever? If so, this post is going to help you with two easy ways to preserve flowers for lasting beauty, without the need for plastic or artificial alternatives.
Why preserve flowers?
It can be tempting to purchase fake flowers and houseplants to brighten up your space without having to constantly water or replace them. Unfortunately, most artificial plants are made of plastic, which lingers in the environment for hundreds of years, eventually breaking down into microplastics. Instead of adding to plastic pollution, why not skip the fake flowers and instead, preserve real flowers and enjoy their natural beauty for years to come?
Though there are lots of ways to preserve flowers, the easiest involves no additional ingredients, just a bit of patience. Plus, these options are entirely plastic-free!
Two ways to preserve flowers
Method 1: Preserve Flowers by Pressing
Pressing flowers is one of the most classic and simple ways to preserve them. This method works best for thin flowers such as pansies, daisies, violets, and ferns. You can use them later for crafts like scrapbooking, or card-making, or even stick them in your phone case or a photo frame for decorating.
- Gather supplies – flowers, scissors, heavy/large books, and absorbent sheets of paper (watercolour paper or cardstock is great).
- Decide if pressing the flower with leaves and stem or without – if pressing flowers with the stem, remove any unwanted leaves.
- Place one sheet of paper in the book, about halfway in.
- Place the flower face down on the paper, then place another sheet on top.
- Close the book and add more books on top.
- Leave to sit for three to four weeks, and you’re done.
Method 2: Preserve Flowers by Hanging Upside-Down
This method is ideal for full bouquets and doubles as a beautiful and natural decoration for your home. Over time, you can even create a dried flower garland or display them in a vase for a vintage look.
- Gather supplies: flowers, twine or rubber bands, and scissors.
- Remove any unwanted leaves or foliage with the scissors.
- If drying multiple flowers, form a bouquet by tying the stems together using twine or a rubber band.
- Hang flowers in a well-ventilated, dry, and dark place – direct sunlight will fade their colour.
- Leave hanging for two to three weeks, then remove and place in a jug or pot to display.
Where to Find Flowers
You may be wondering where exactly to get these flowers to preserve. For some of us, flowers aren’t readily available. Here is a list of places to consider:
- Community garden
- Local park
- Farmers market
- Go on a foraging walk around your neighbourhood
- Ask to take leftover flowers from an event space
- Ask a neighbour or a friend
There you have it, a step-by-step on how to preserve flowers in two different ways! Preserving flowers is a great way to respect the environment, but it can also be a great act of self-care. Taking time to brighten up your space with plants can be very calming and grounding. For more ideas on self-care, check out my interview with Cadie Piecuch, all about self-love.
what type of flower would you most like to press to preserve for a long time?
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