Flowers have a unique charm of their own and they add luster to your life and surroundings. The best way to make your home, office, or other spaces attractive is by having a flower arrangement that spruces up whichever area you have kept it. Flowers again are the best choice of gifts, there are various options, combinations, and varieties of flowers you can use to make your loved ones smile.
Dried and Preserved Flowers
The beauty of flowers does not stop at the freshly plucked ones. They even extend to dried and preserved flowers which have a distinctly universal beauty that is different from fresh flowers. One advantage of having dried flowers as part of beautifying your home is that they stay for a longer period of time as compared to fresh flowers. They not only add to the radiance of the space but also brings cheer to the room or wherever it is arranged.
If you are looking to enjoy nature all year round then having dried flower arrangements in your space is the best way. They remain just the way you have arranged them and there is no withering away, falling petals, or getting decayed. Dried floral bouquets and floral arrangements make an excellent keepsake, especially if you are gifting them to a loved one.
That takes us to the topic, how to dry and preserve flowers so that they become everlasting. One thing to keep in mind while have dry flower arrangements is that they tend to fade in sunlight, so keep them away from spaces where it is too hot and where there is sunlight.
How to Dry and Preserve Flowers
Certain floral gifts and bouquets are sentimental and you do not want to throw them away. There are a few ways to dry and preserve these flowers so that they are with you forever. Drying the flowers is the best way to save them plus they have a uniqueness which gives a different texture and vibe to your living room space, bedroom, dining table, or wherever you choose to display it.
Air drying is one of the good ways if your flowers are roses or lavenders. If there are delicate flowers like lilies then pressing and framing is a better way to preserve them. Microwave drying technique is another method that can be used to dry and preserve the flowers in your bouquet. You just have to make sure the drying is done at the right time so that the petals do not start to fall.
Let us have a look at how microwave drying and air-drying works so that it is easier for you to dry and preserve the flowers.
Air-Drying
Though air-drying method is time consuming, it is one of the conventional methods used for drying and preserving flowers. If you have bouquets or big flowers like the sunflower, then air-drying is the best. You let nature do the work as you sit back and relax.
How to Air-Dry and Preserve the Flowers
Now that you know your flowers can be dried and preserved by air-drying techniques, it is imperative that you know how to do it.
Cut the flowers to a length that is not shorter than six inches. Remove the foliage and make sure that they are away from the sun as soon as they are cut
You can hang the flowers in a bunch as a bouquet or individually on a hangar
Once you hang them upside down, choose a dark and dry area at home where there is good circulation. An unused closet or attic will be good options if you have them at home.
Leave them for two to three weeks so that they dry completely.
Once they are completely dry remove them from the hangar and protect them by spraying unscented hairspray.
How to Dry and Preserve Flowers Using Microwave
Since air-drying and preserving flowers is time consuming, there is another quicker way that might appeal to you, using the microwave.
Put the flowers you want to dry and preserve in a bowl that will fit into your microwave. It would be better to use a bowl you will not reuse again for your cooking
The bottom of the bowl should be covered with an inch of silica gel and a bit thicker if the flowers are bigger. Place the flowers with the petals up and pour some gel on the petals. Do it slowly and softly. The petals should not get crushed
Do not cover the bowl. Place it in the microwave. Different flowers require different heating levels. You will have to try it by using one or two heat levels
Check the progress after a minute and then after every 30 seconds. You can see the progress and then adjust the heat and time accordingly to suit the types of flowers you have kept in the bowl
Once the flowers have dried, open the microwave and immediately cover the bowl
Take the covered bowl out of the microwave and open the top a bit and leave it for 24 hours like that
Use a brush and remove the gel from the petals gently and gently mist it with an acrylic spray
Now that you have mastered the art of drying flowers, the next step will be how to preserve them so that they last because just by drying the flowers they need not last. Dried flowers can fade, crumble, and lose their luster. This is where preserving them becomes important.
Preservation techniques like dipping them in wax, framing them, and drying them in resin works well so that they dried and preserved flowers add to the allure of your home décor or office or any other space you are planning to use them for.
You can now buy dried flowers in Singapore using the link below.
Buy dried flowers in Singapore
Summing It Up
Dried and preserved flowers have an irresistible charm, just like fresh flowers and what makes the even more attractive is the fact they last longer and they lend a different kind of aura you the space you choose to keep them in. So, if you are worried about losing the floral bouquet and arrangement you have received for someone special, then you now know there are ways to keep them forever.