If you have a bouquet of special flowers from an important event or simply an arrangement that you find especially attractive, you can preserve the beauty and the memories by drying or pressing the flowers. At Bosland’s Flower Shop in Wayne, we recommend preserving flowers by drying them, instead of pressing, because it’s the most versatile technique. While some flowers with thick or round blooms don’t press very well, all flowers can be beautifully dried. Drying will simplify saving a bouquet of mixed flowers.

Bouquet of Dried Roses

How to Dry a Floral Bouquet

There are a few simple techniques to dry floral bouquets that work very well. Whichever method you choose for drying your flowers, be sure that your flowers are completely dry before displaying them. Any leftover moisture will cause the flowers to rot. You’ll know your flowers are dry when they begin to feel a little like tissue paper.

1. Air Dry

Air drying is the best method, if you want your dried flowers to look as closely to alive as possible. It’s also the best method if you plan to display your dried flowers as a bouquet in a vase. To air dry, gather your bouquet and tie the stems together with string. Use the other end of the string to hang the bouquet upside down from a clothing hanger, stick, or ceiling hook. It’s best if they don’t hang against a wall or in direct sunlight. Air drying takes several days for all the moisture to escape the flowers.

Hanging Dried Flowers

2. Oven Dry

You can also dry flowers in the oven. Arrange the blooms with no overlap on a cookie sheet lined with wax or parchment paper. Preheat your oven to its lowest heat setting, and leave the oven door cracked while flowers dry. You’ll need to keep an eye on them for eight to twelve hours.

Dried Pink Roses

3. Microwave Dry

If you’re hoping to put together a project, like a floral wreath, the same day you dry your flowers, then microwaving is really your best option. The power of a microwave can dry flowers completely in two to three minutes. You’ll need a microwave-safe container and enough silica sand to completely cover your flowers. First trim their stems and remove unwanted leaves. Place them in the container, cover with sand, and put them in the microwave with a small cup of water. Then heat in 30-second intervals, checking the flowers’ progress, as you go.

Dried Peach Roses

How to Keep Dried Flowers Safe and Beautiful

To strengthen flowers and protect them moisture in the air, you can give dried flowers a few coats of hairspray. Be sure to spray from a safe distance, so your hairspray doesn’t blast and damage the flowers. To ensure your dried flowers can withstand the test of time, we recommend displaying them in a place where they won’t receive direct sunlight, as the sun’s rays will break down the pigments in the flowers, leaving them looking less vibrant and faded over time. You should also display them in a drier location inside your home. In other words, don’t put a bouquet of dried flowers next to your shower.

Lavender Garden

For information about preserving and displaying keepsake flowers or for personalized recommendations for picking out a beautiful floral arrangement for your next special occasion, we welcome you to stop by Bosland’s Flower Shop.