Sure, our exceptional weather in Port Charlotte means we can grow and bloom flowers all year long, but if you receive flowers on a particularly special occasion or have a bridal bouquet, you might want to consider preserving it to enjoy its blooms and be reminded of your happy memories for years. To help you make the most of your memories, our flower experts at Port Charlotte Florist put together this quick and easy to follow guide on drying keepsake flowers and displaying them in your home.

Bouquet of Dried Roses

The Best Method for Drying Flowers

Unless you want to display your preserved flowers in a botanical frame, drying is usually the better option (over pressing) because it will produce beautiful results no matter how diverse your mixed bouquet is. For example, drying will even work on all the different blooms in our Flourish arrangement.

Flourish

Our florists always recommend air drying flowers over other flower drying methods because it yields the best results (even though there are faster ways to dry flowers with heat). To air dry your flowers, you should start the process while they’re still relatively fresh and the blooms have not yet opened completely. First, trim away all the leaves, as these can act as sources of bacteria that can potentially harm the flowers during the drying process. Once trimmed, arrange however you like, and tie the flowers’ stems together with string. Using the tail end of the string, hang your flowers upside down in a warm, dark room. It’s best to hang flowers in a spot where they won’t rest up against a wall and wind up drying unevenly.

Once hung, leave your flowers until they’ve completely dried. This process can last anywhere from several days to a few weeks. Be patient because any moisture allowed to stay in your flowers will cause them to decompose.

Dried Flowers Hanging Upside Down

Displaying and Caring for Your Dried Flowers

Once dry, your flowers will be quite delicate. You can give them a little more strength and protect them from the elements by apply a few coats of unscented hairspray to them. You should also take care to display them in a location where direct sunlight won’t fade their colors and where they won’t be exposed to extra humidity (in a bathroom).

To display your flowers, you can always put them out as a bouquet in a vase or pitcher. If you’re saving keepsake flowers, it’s also a great idea to arrange them in a shadow box along with other mementos. Another great way to use dried flowers in your home is to make a floral wreath out of them. Start with a wicker wreath base and either distribute your flowers all the way around the wreath or create an asymmetrical design with an offset cluster.

Dried Flower Bouquet in Glass Vase

If over time, you notice your flowers becoming dusty, you can blow the dust and cobwebs away with a gentle breeze from a regular, old hairdryer. Be sure it’s on its lowest power and set to cool.

For more information about dried flowers and the best flowers for drying, we welcome you to stop by Port Charlotte Florist.