If you have a dried flower bouquet you wish to preserve for as long as possible, here are tips to prolong the life of your everlasting blooms.
The dried flower trend is still here. I see arrangements on my Instagram feed and they were a polarizing décor addition on The Block last season. Will be interesting to see if they make a comeback this year?
On our holiday to Mermaid Beach a few years ago, it seemed every interiors and fashion shop had a dried bloom section.
The dried flower trend is one I remember from my early childhood in the 80’s and early 90’s.
Wicker vases with reeds and bunny tail stems matched with all shades of brown when it came to tiling, carpet and who remembers corkboard floors?! We had it all in our first family home.
Fast forward 30 years and these trends are being recycled to live a new tale.
I stand my ground on brown tiles and brown carpets; it’s a no from me. If you really love brown… choose timber floors instead!
But the dried flower arrangements I’ve seen in my Instagram feed… I will get on board so long as there is colour.
Where to get a dried flower bouquet?
The next time you buy yourself a bunch of flowers or you decide to buy flowers for a loved one, why not buy a dried flower bouquet? Support your local florist as they may have a dried floral section.
I bought this bouquet from Redcliffe City Florist as they had the coloured arrangements I liked. The florist is subject to availability with stems and colours. I asked for pinks and teals and got this bouquet.
Redcliffe is not local to me, but I wasn’t able to find a florist in my area who could create what I wanted.
Some other places to try are
Etsy
Posy and Twine
Gather Australia
Samantha’s Flowers
Floraly
Once you’ve got your dried flower bouquet, you will need to know how to prolong their life.
Dried flowers can last from 1 – 3 years.
While they are low maintenance, they are more brittle and will breakdown and fade over time.
6 Tips to Style and Care For Your Dried Flower Bouquet
1. Don’t place your dried flowers in water.
Unlike fresh blooms, dried flowers do not need to be placed in a vase of water. Place them direct into a vase or pottery vessel. Water will only cause the stems to turn brittle and promote mould growth.
2. Place in opaque vase
Flowers placed in a glass vase with no water can look odd. Place your dried floral bouquet into an opaque or pottery vase. The neutral colour will contrast well with your flowers.
3. Keep out of direct sunlight
Dried flowers will already have their colour faded from the natural preservation process. Direct sunlight can hurry that process so place your dried flower arrangement away from windows and skylights which allow sunlight in.
4. Place in a dry room
Don’t place your dried flower arrangement in rooms with high humidity like the bathroom , laundry or kitchen. Any type of moisture in the air will moisten the petals and leaves, causing them to turn mouldy.
5. Style in a permanent spot
Dried flower arrangements can crumble due to the fragile nature of the petals and leaves. The more textured the petal, the more likely it will disperse over time.
Style your dried floral arrangement in a permanent spot which won’t require much movement causing the fragments to disperse. The coffee table or side console is an ideal spot.
6. Use a feather duster or hair dryer to remove dust
Dried flowers will get dusty. A feather duster with a gentle sweeping motion will remove the dust. Alternatively, use a hair dryer with a cool and low setting to gently blow the dust away from the petals and leaves.
If you enjoyed this post, check out
Make your own Australian Native Flower Arrangement
Disclosure: There are affiliate links on this post. Should you choose to purchase an item, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
This post has been updated since it was published in October 2020.
