DRIED FLOWERS

With an almost magical power, flowers touch every aspect of our lives. They enhance the present and evoke memories from the past. Therefore, fresh or dried flowers become an important part of our lives.

There are several popular techniques for drying flowers. The best and most popular way to achieve dried flowers is the state of the art method of freeze-drying flowers. One of the oldest processes used to dry flowers is to air dry them by hanging them in a reverse position. Another way of drying flowers is using silica gel, or placing the flowers in the micro wave. What ever method you choose, dried flowers, enrich our lives,

There is so much pleasure derived from arranging with dried flowers. It is an uplifting experience to share with someone or can be a peaceful and relaxing hobby for you.

If you are a collector suddenly you could find yourself with a whole house full of dried flowers and foliage. Leaves and pressed flowers in news print inside of phone books stacked high, and dried flowers hanging from the ceiling can create a sea of color everywhere.

Your neighbors and friends will enjoy receiving your bouquets of dried flowers. Whether it is a special occasion or, just to say “thinking of you” creates a relationship with a special bond when giving your own creation of a dried flower arrangement.

Displaying Dried Flowers

There are many interesting ways to display dried flowers in your house. Bunches of dried flowers hung upside down to dry are very decorative in themselves. How and where you hang them depends on the type of house in which you live. To obtain good results for drying flowers, a flower-drying rack is used that is hung from the ceiling with a pulley. The stems of the dried flowers can be wrapped with colorful raffia and tied upside down from the rack. Another solution is to use a broom handle with two pulleys, or a length of clothes line and hang the bunches of dried flowers on it with small colorful clothes pegs. There are many innovative places in your house to draw subtle attention to your attractive dried flower arrangements and to give your rooms a more cheerful look. High ceilings are less noticeable; however the back of a staircase or a dark corner takes on a brighter and improved look when adding a mixture of color with your dried flowers.

Making a dried flower arrangement can be time consuming when using many different varieties of flowers or less complicated when using bunches of different kinds of flowers.

A large basket or a sturdy earthenware pot is an ideal container for creating dried flower arrangements. Begin by placing the bunches around the rim of the pot or basket. The stems of the bunches do not need to be long. When the first ring is completed start the second. As you move towards the center it is better to leave the stems longer to build up the height and give unity to the whole. You may use aids such as Oasis or florist’s wire, however if the bunches are closely packed this is unnecessary. This is always very effective in a court yard or entrance way, especially if bright colors are used.

Individual dried flowers can be arranged in an infinite number of ways. There are numerous styles to arranging dried flowers. The art of arranging dried flowers is relatively new to the western world. It dates back to around the 1800’s. Before this time, it was mainly an occupation for artists, who composed on canvas exquisite flower arrangements which apparently were painted from imagination rather than from life, since the arrangement consisted of flowers that bloomed in different seasons. From the beginning of the nineteenth century, potted plants and flower arrangements become increasingly prominent in illustrations of interiors. The decorative use of both fresh and dried flowers start to gain attention in the Biedermeier period. The romantic and usually round Biedermeier bouquet, which is composed of many varieties of flowers, continues to be popular today.

Decorating with Dried Flowers

The possibilities for decorating with dried flowers are endless: dried flower wreaths, dried flower garlands, entire walls decorated with dried flowers and the most popular are still dried flower arrangements and bouquets.

When choosing the flowers for a dried flower arrangement, it is important to be aware of both color and shape.

Color selection is the most personal element in the dried flower arrangement. The preference for color will vary with each individual. As dried flowers age, the color tends to change and the green of the stems and leaves will turn to a more golden hue. Pink, red and blue colors become deeper and richer when dried, while yellows and greens are less permanent.

The second important point is shape. A dried flower arrangement which is perfectly symmetrical is dull and boring. A colorful and lively dried flower arrangement is much more attractive and interesting to display.

We have a nice selection of freeze dried rose petals that you can use for your own decorating projects.