Alice Hare's guide to dried flowers
If you’re not sure what to do with your Valentine’s Day flowers or have a bouquet from a special day that you want as a keepsake, then drying flowers might be just the thing! It’s the ultimate way to make sure your beloved blooms keep their shape and colour for longer and create a lasting home decoration. And it turns out it’s easier than you think, with Alice Hare's guide on how to do it and which flowers work best.
Best conditions to dry flowers
How to dry:For all techniques, it's best to dry flowers before they are on the turn but when they are open and not in bud. If the petals have started to drop, then they are unlikely to stay on the flower when dried.
Air drying - (this works well for most flowers)
Simply remove any unwanted leaves, bunch up around 5 stems, tie with string and hang them upside down for a few weeks.
Air circulation is key so try not to hang them against a wall for example.
Works best with: strawflowers (they practically grow dried), gypsophila, grasses, larkspur, seedheads such as poppies, achillea and lots of foliage such as eucalyptus
Dry out slowly in water
Another simple way of drying flowers is putting them in 2 inches of water and allowing the water to evaporate, helping the flowers to dry out slowly.
Make sure the flower heads are not closely packed together for room for air circulation
Works best with: large headed flowers such as hydrangeas
Storing & displaying dried flowers
Keep them in a dry place to prevent mould and out of direct sunlight to minimise colour fading or pop them in a box with silicon sachets as they will suck up any moisture
Display dried flowers in vases or bind them with wire or string onto any round base to make a simple dried flower wreath for your home.