Interflora Articles

Pressed Flowers

Pressed flowers are a very popular component of many crafts including homemade paper and specialty picture frames. Pressing is also the most common and familiar method of preserving beautiful blooms.

Selecting the Flowers

Many flowers and other plant materials will respond very well to pressing. Leaves and other foliage that lay flat are popular items to press, as are flat blooms. Round or tubular blooms, such as roses, are not usually pressed whole, but the petals are pressed individually instead. Some of the best results for pressed flowers can be achieved with violets and pansies.

Process

Pressing flowers can be completed without the need for special equipment or materials, which does lend to the task's popularity and ease. In its simplest form, pressing requires only that the blooms be placed between the pages of a heavy book. Extra weight can be added, by placing additional books on top. For enhanced results, and to protect the pages of your books, you can line the pages with wax paper first.

Many flower enthusiasts now use a special device called a plant press, which provides even pressure from all directions and tends to result in better preserved flowers. A plant press can be purchased, or made at home. To make a simple plant press, you should have two pieces of sanded wood with several vices to squeeze them tightly.

After Care

Pressed flowers are usually very fragile as the result of being pressed so thin. Although this thinness makes them a perfect addition to glass frames and homemade paper, it also makes them unsuitable for regular handling.

Other Methods of Preserving Flowers

Have you considered drying your flowers with the "Water Drying" Method? It sounds like an oxymoron, but water drying can actually be very successful when the process is completed on the right flowers. If you have received hydrangeas, yarrow, bells-of-Ireland, or celosia recently, try this simple way to preserve them:

Place the flowers, on the stem, in a vase with a couple inches of water. Now, simply enjoy your beautiful blooms and allow the water to evaporate. In a few days, you will have beautifully dried flowers.

For even better results, place the vase and flowers in a dry, warm, and dark location. The dryness and warmth of the location will help ensure that the water will evaporate at an even rate, while the darkness will prevent the flowers' petals and leaves from fading.

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