Dried And Preserved Flowers 101
If you’ve ever browsed through the charming, dreamy visions of immaculate dried floral arrangements and thought to yourself “How to take care of dried flowers?” or “How to care for preserve flowers?” then this 101 guide contains ALL the info you need to get started with the beautiful bounties offered by Dried Flowers & Decor.
Caring For Your Dried Flowers To Maintain Their Appeal
If you want your dried flowers to last as long as possible, there are a few common care tips from our floral experts that will help make sure that you unlock the full potential of your dried floral arrangements.
1. Keep Them Away From Direct Sunlight
Exposure to direct sunlight will harm your dried flowers, causing them to fade and lose their characteristic charm over time. Prolonged exposure to UV rays will dull the colours of your dried flower arrangements and compromise the overall appearance. To prevent this, place your dried flowers away from direct sunlight.
2. Minimise The Scope Of Humidity
Excessive moisture can lead to rehydration and may cause your delicate dried flowers to lose their shape or develop mould. Keep your dried flowers in a low-humidity environment to keep them fresh and mould-free. Additionally, periodically inspect your dried flowers for any signs of pests or mould. Early detection allows for prompt intervention and preservation of the arrangement.
3. Dust Them Carefully
Periodically dust your dried flowers with a soft, dry brush or a can of compressed air. This helps remove any accumulated dust and keeps the flowers looking fresh. You can also use a hairdryer on a cool setting and use it from a conservative distance to gently clean any accumulated dust.
4. Avoid Any And All Contact With Water
Water + Dried Flowers is a surefire recipe for disaster. When dried flowers and foliage come in contact with any liquid or dampness in general, it’s a hothouse for mould to grow and ruin your delicate blooms. Keep them away from water sources and humid areas to maintain their structural integrity.
5. Strategically Plan Out Dried Flower Displays
Choose an appropriate display location for your dried flowers. Avoid placing dried flowers near heating vents or in areas with extreme temperature fluctuations, as these conditions can affect their longevity. In addition to this, if they’re displayed in a vase or container, ensure it is clean and dry. Containers with a wide base provide stability and help prevent breakage.
6. Handle Them With Gentle Hands
Minimise continuous handling and rearranging of dried flower arrangements to prevent breakage or spoiling of the dried flowers. Stabilise your dried floral arrangements in a secure position and place them in a cool, dry place to prevent unnecessary stress on the stems and petals.
How To Care For Your Preserved Flowers and Protect Their Radiance
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Avoid Humid Environments
Ensure an ideal humidity below 70% wherever you place your preserved flowers and foliage pieces in your home or event decor. In high humidity, gently dry stems with tissue to prevent issues. Avoid rooms with humidity fluctuations, as they may lead to leaking in preserved flowers.
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Prevent Colour Transfer
Preserved with natural dyes, our preserved flowers aren't colourfast. This intentional choice allows for a more authentic representation of the original blooms, showcasing the nuances and subtleties that make each flower unique. To prevent stains, keep them away from clothes and furniture.
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Be Careful With The Placement
Preserved flowers are exclusively designed to be placed in clean, dry indoor settings at room temperature. Keep them away from heat sources like radiators or fireplaces to prevent stem dehydration. Opt for stain-resistant surfaces when placing the preserved floral arrangements in vases, steering clear of painted, shiny, or absorbent areas to safeguard against potential colour drips and stains.
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Avoid Placing Them In Direct Sunlight
Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight will cause the colour of your preserved flowers to fade away, making your flowers brittle and prone to damage due to fragility. To protect the liveliness of your preserved floral bouquets, position them away from direct sunlight.
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Ensure Diligent, Delicate Care
Gently dust your preserved flowers with a soft, dry brush to maintain their vividness and keep them free from debris. Carefully blow away dust with a hairdryer. Maintain a one-meter distance and opt for the cool setting to preserve the delicate beauty of your preserved flowers.
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Do Not Water Preserved Flowers
Unlike fresh flowers, preserved flowers do not require water. Any exposure to water will damage your preserved flower arrangements, leading to things like reduced lifespan of the flowers and growth of mould. Keep them away from moisture sources to protect their appearance and retain their longevity.
General Tips For Dried And Preserved Flowers
1. HOW DO YOU KEEP DRIED FLOWERS CLEAN?
To maintain the pristine beauty of dried flowers, delicately dust them using a soft brush, a can of compressed air, or use a hairdryer on a low, cool setting from a safe distance. This gentle approach effectively removes accumulated debris, preserving the intricate details and textures of the dried floral arrangements without causing damage.
2. DO PRESERVED FLOWERS NEED WATER?
Preserved flowers, having undergone a meticulous preservation and dyeing process, do not require water. It is crucial to keep them away from moisture sources to prevent any rehydration so that the longevity and structural integrity of the preserved flower arrangements can be maintained.
3. HOW TO KEEP DRIED FLOWERS FROM CRUMBLING?
Preserving the delicate nature of dried flowers requires careful handling. Minimise direct contact and frequent movement of your dried flower arrangement to prevent crumbling. Use a sealant like a speciality floral spray or a simple light coat of hairspray to maintain the integrity of fragile dried flowers and foliage pieces like dried palms. This simple technique adds resilience, reducing the likelihood of crumbling while still retaining the aesthetic appeal.
4. DO PRESERVED FLOWERS FADE?
Preserved flowers, having undergone a specific preservation process, may have a more controlled fading process compared to dried flowers. However, over time, preserved flowers can experience some fading. Protect them from direct sunlight to slow down the fading process. By positioning them in spaces with minimal exposure to harsh sunlight, you can extend the duration of their vibrant colours and overall visual appeal.
5. HOW LONG WILL DRIED FLOWERS LAST?
If well cared for, dried flowers can last from months to years, averaging between 2 – 3 years. However, to get the most out of your dried flower bouquets and other arrangements, proper care and maintenance are necessary.
6. HOW TO STYLE DRIED OR PRESERVED FLOWERS?
Dried and preserved flowers are the perfect medium for showcasing your imagination and love for nature. By keeping an eye out for standout dried flower arrangements, you can style the preserved and dried flowers into dried wreaths, dried bridal bouquets, table centrepieces, wall decorations and much more. Check out our blogs for the hottest dried flower styling techniques, tips and hacks!
How Are Dried Flowers Made?
The different practices of drying flowers and foliage pieces, like pampas grass, find their root in nature and natural processes with a minimal level of chemical-based interference. Flowers can be dried in many different ways, however, there are a few common commercial techniques to get the most beauty out of dried flowers.
- Air Drying: Flowers are typically hung upside down in controlled environments, allowing air to circulate around them. Large-scale hanging racks and well-ventilated drying rooms are often used for bulk drying of flowers.
- Desiccant Drying: Fresh flowers that are to be dried are placed in a container with desiccant materials like silica gel, which absorb moisture, thus drying them while maintaining their delicate appearance.
- Freeze Drying: To attain the full effect of freeze-dried flowers, flowers are frozen and then subjected to a vacuum, removing moisture. Heavy-duty freeze-drying chambers with controlled conditions are employed for commercial production of dried flowers.
- Oven Drying: In this method, fresh flowers are placed in an oven with controlled temperature and ventilation. Industrial-scale ovens with precise controls are used for larger quantities of dried flowers to ensure uniform drying.
At Dried Flowers & Decor, we take pride in the artistry and craftsmanship that goes into creating our exquisite dried flowers and foliage for stunning dried flower arrangements. Our suppliers’ and vendors’ process of drying flowers is a delicate and meticulous one which makes sure that each bloom retains its natural beauty and charm.
These skilled artisans carefully select premium-quality flowers at the peak of their bloom. The blossoms are then harvested with precision, taking into consideration factors like colour, shape, and overall freshness. The chosen flowers and foliage pieces undergo a gentle drying process where they are hung upside down in a controlled environment to air dry. This slow and methodical drying method helps maintain the flowers' unique colours and distinct shapes. We at Dried Flowers & Decor in turn source these beautiful dried flowers and make them available to our customers via our online dried flower store.
Explore our most loved collection of dried flowers and invite nature into your homes and events today.
How Are Flowers Preserved?
Harvested at the peak of their bloom, preserved flowers are real plants that undergo a rigorous preservation process, skillfully using natural glycerine and dyes. Contrary to naturally dried flowers, the process of preservation of flowers, often involving chemical preservation processes, results in the flowers retaining their vibrance while being pliable enough to be worked with easily. The most common of these processes are:
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Glycerin Preservation:
Widely adopted by the floral industry for its versatility and effectiveness in preserving flowers, in this method fresh flowers are placed in a solution of glycerin and water for a controlled time duration. This allows the glycerin to replace the natural moisture in the flowers.
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Drying Agents and Solutions
Here, flowers are treated with specialised preservation solutions containing ingredients like borax or a combination of glycerin and water. This method is used as an alternative to glycerin and silica gel, catering to specific preservation needs like colour enhancement or maintaining unique characteristics.
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Acrylic Resin Embedding
In this method, fresh flowers are embedded in a mixture of acrylic resin, which hardens to encase and preserve the flowers. Flowers embedded in resin are often used for creating floral keepsakes and decorative pieces to create a distinctive floral decor.
The preservation processes of the best-in-class suppliers of Dried Flowers & Decor are primed to maintain the peak radiance of flowers and foliage. Utilising advanced methods such as glycerin preservation and silica gel techniques, our vendors make certain that the natural elegance of every flower is prolonged for a long time. The gentle preservation procedure undertaken ensures that only natural dyes are used and the chemical intervention is kept to a minimal, harmless degree.
Shop our preserved foliage to craft a floral decor that not only stands out but can also be reused time and again due to its durability.
Dried Flowers & Preserved Foliage From Dried Flowers And Decor
At Dried Flowers & Decor, our curated collection is a celebration of the most soulful, intricate beauties of nature. Whether it’s dried flowers or preserved foliage, every floral piece that enters through our doors becomes a part of our commitment to spreading the long-lasting beauty and vitality of a well-crafted floral decor.
Carefully preserved and naturally dried, our vendors provide dried and preserved flowers that offer a unique blend of authenticity and longevity, bringing the outdoors inside without compromise. The wide array of options in our collection makes us a favourite for the wholesale requirements of event planners, decorators, wedding planners, interior designers, and anyone who can benefit from our exclusive offers on bulk orders.
Experience the meticulous artistry of dried floral decor in your homes and light up your special events. Shop the thoughtful gift of dried flowers and preserved foliage today.