Dried Flowers
Dried Flowers

Are you thinking of gifting flowers for your loved ones but afraid that the gift wouldn’t last long enough for them to enjoy? Or did you perhaps want to keep your favourite flowers last longer than how they should be? Dried flowers are the answers to those yearnings! With their perfect tone and vibes for vintage elegance and aesthetic appearance, they can even be made by yourselves and easily made into a bouquet for a gift. They can be a perfect choice for autumn gifts too.

However, you should know that dried flowers are different from dead or wilted flowers. Although they may not be freshly picked flowers, their beauty is still unmatched by the fresh ones. They are preserved flowers that can be made into a keepsake to keep the memory last longer than fresh flower bouquets. The dried flowers can also make a lovely decoration at home.

In this article, we will take you through how to make a gorgeous dried flower bouquet. Keep in mind that the point of drying flowers is to remove the moistures from the flower’s stems while retaining the original shape and beauty of the flower.

1. Choose the right flowers

Dried Flowers
Dried Flowers

Drying flowers can help preserve the bouquets you have. Although most flowers usually can be dried, the difficulties may vary. Some may be easier to dry, while some are not. So, it’s essential to choose the right flowers for your dried flower bouquet. Usually, the flowers used are the fresh ones which almost reached their full bloom, with the buds not opening completely. Don’t use flowers that have matured past the blooming time because when they are dried, the petals might fall and seem to be wilted. Choose a flower with long and straight stems because they are easier to dry and tied together in a bouquet.

People often opt for low moisture flowers like baby’s breath, chrysanthemum, hydrangea, rosebuds, and sunflowers. Dried rose petals also look suitable for an autumn-inspired dried flower bouquet. If you want to dry other flowers, such as carnations, they usually need to be treated much more carefully because they have high moisture content and becomes fragile once dried.

 

2. Remove excess foliage and greenery

Excess foliage and greenery should be removed to make a balanced look in your dried flower bouquet. If you intend to include them, add some dry grass to make them look beautiful. Trim all the leaves and thorns but don’t touch the petals.

 

3. Gather the flowers into small bunches and separate each type

Dried Flowers
Dried Flowers

Once you’ve done the steps above, gather the flowers from each kind. Do not gather them in large groups as it will take a longer time to process the drying. Each type of flower also dries differently. For example, a baby’s breath will dry faster than roses. Dry them separately and away from each other, then tie them with a rubber band or twine.

 

4. Choose your method to dry the flowers

There are few methods for drying flowers, and you could choose which one suits you best below.

Leave your flowers to air-dry

This method is simple and easy. Hang your flowers upside down in a dry, cool, and dark place. Don’t place them where sunlight hits because sunlight might cause the petals to lose their colour. Hanging them upside down ensure the stems remain straight even when they’re dried. Place each flower bunches apart so they can receive enough ventilation during the process. Air dry your flowers for two or three weeks until their petals looked hardy and crisp.

Combine silica gel with your fresh flowers

Silica gel can absorb the moisture from flowers to be stored in airtight containers. The gel or crystal version can work well for drying flowers. Place your silica gel into a microwave-safe container with the flowers. Place them into a microwave oven for around two to five minutes. The time depends on the flowers you choose to dry, so you should experiment on the perfect duration for each flower. Keep in mind that hardy flowers with thicker petals require more time to dry. Then, remove the flowers from the oven and brush away the silica gel with a brush, and finally, rest the flowers for 24 hours. Make sure to avoid direct sunlight.

Use a microwave

The microwave might be your fastest option and can retain the colour of the petals effortlessly compared to other methods. However, you should remember that delicate flowers like hydrangeas and baby’s breath might not dry too well in the microwave. As an optional step, add a cup of water into the microwave to prevent the flowers from over-drying in the microwave.

 

5. Use hairspray to preserve the flowers

Dried Flowers
Dried Flowers

We are only a few steps away from making the aesthetic dried flowers bouquet. Now that you have dried your flowers take the bundles apart slowly and gently. Use hairspray to the flowers in a moderate amount to keep the petals intact and not break easily.

 

6. Start arranging your dried flowers bouquet

After spraying enough, it’s now time to arrange your dried flower bouquet. Choose the larger-sized flowers first for the base. Smaller-sized flowers like dried baby’s breath and foliage like dry grass can complement the bouquet. Go search for some dried bouquet arrangement ideas and choose whichever arrangement you suits. Visualize the vintage flower bouquet you want to make and assemble them gently.

 

7. Tie and decorate the dried flowers

After arranging the flowers altogether artistically, use twine to secure the bouquet. You can use soft ribbon to tie them and add bouquet paper for the decoration. Now, we are only one step away from creating the perfect dried flowers bouquet!

 

8. Add the scent with essential oils

Dried Flowers
Dried Flowers

This is an optional step, but a dried flowers bouquet with a perfect floral scent will be guaranteed to be an ideal gift. Pour a few drops of floral essential oil into your flower bouquet and make your bouquet smell soothing and aromatic.

We have taken you through 8 steps to making your DIY dried flower bouquet. Now you can decorate your home or send a gift for your loved ones with these long-lasting flowers without having to worry about them wilting too quickly! Just a piece of additional information, dried flowers can last averagely for one year. That’s sure long compared to the handpicked fresh flowers that only last for an averagely of ten days!

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