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5 Simple And Effective Ways To Preserve Flower Bouquets

Flowers and gifts with Laptop
Read time: 5 min.

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Receiving a bouquet of flowers, especially from your special someone, will always be special. Those who got their wreaths on their wedding day would also consider such flowers memorable and worth keeping. But, since picked flowers are meant to die sooner, how would you be able to keep them for a longer time?

What Are Preserved Flowers?

The good news is that you can still preserve the flowers you took home from a memorable event. Flowers that have undergone preservation don’t wither and die, as natural flowers do. Plus, preserved flowers are a hundred percent real flowers. The trick is on the methods undertaken, wherein the flowers are allowed to sustain their natural features and texture.

Aside from their prolonged lifespan, preserved flowers also have a few benefits. First, longer shelf life means you’d be less likely to buy any replacement. You won’t have to discard withered natural flowers in your household and replace them with a new arrangement multiple times a year. Second, preserved flowers can be versatile. You can alter their colors depending on your preferences.

Preserved flowers are thought to have no expiration dates. However, depending on the weather, their appearance could be altered. The greater the humidity of the surroundings, the shorter their lifespan will be. Preserved flowers have a shelf life of one up to three years. But, if kept in a closed container, they could last for more than ten years.

Moreover, there are those who haven’t received or brought home a bouquet of flowers, but want to try preserving a flower. In this case, they must look for a local flower shop so they can start maintaining its beauty right away. For instance, if you’re from the largest city in California, you may look for same-day flower delivery in Los Angeles. This way, you’d get to preserve freshly picked flowers. 

Simple Methods Of Preserving Flower Bouquets

If you’ve just got your bouquet, are you now ready to preserve them?  There are many ways you can do so to have that masterpiece that you can exhibit around your house for years. 

Without further ado, here’s how you can preserve your flowers, as well as the memories they hold:

Pressing The Flowers

For many years, pressing flowers has been a very efficient method of preserving them. However, it may take weeks or months for the blooms to dry out using this method entirely. You’ll need a thick hardback book and a couple sheets of waxed paper for this to work. The latter will be intended to stop the ink from the book from staining the flowers.

Once you’ve gathered the necessary supplies, here’s how to press your flowers to preserve them:

  • Pick the flowers from the bouquet that you like the most. 
  • Open up the middle part of the heavy book and place the waxed papers on the opened page.
  • Place one or two flowers on the waxed paper, and on top of it, place another piece of waxed paper.
  • Slowly close the book without moving the flowers’ placements.
  • Weigh the book down by piling heavy objects on top of it. This will add more pressure to press the flowers down further.

Once you’ve followed those steps, you should then let the flowers set for several weeks. Once they become completely flat, dry, and brittle, you may display them on a picture frame.

Hanging The Flowers Upside Down 

Hanging your bouquet upside down to dry is a method of air drying. Begin by unwrapping the flowers and removing any tape or tie. You mustn’t bundle them together when hanging them; instead, hang their stems one after another. Doing so will ensure that each branch maintains its most refined shape possible.

You may the stems on a wire coat hanger and place them in a temperate location, such as your bedroom closet or corridors. Allow all of the flowers to air dry for a week or more. Once the flowers are thoroughly dried, you may then place the bouquet in a vase of your choice or enclose it in a glass case.

Submerging Them In Silica Gel

The usage of silica gel necessitates that you keep a close watch on the flowers. Nonetheless, it’s a faster way to keep the flowers’ colors vibrant. Silica gel is essential to absorb water and dry flowers in less than a week or more. In the end, your bouquet could look just like it did the day you received it.

To begin, in a sealed container, make a base of silica gel and arrange your flowers in their sand. Then, gently pour the silica gel around the petals, making sure not to distort their form. Once the container is filled to the brim, cover it with the lid and make sure it’s airtight. This is because any dampness might cause the growth of molds on the flowers.

When the week of preservation is done, carefully remove the blossoms. Afterward, spritz them with an artist’s preservative spray or hairspray.

Making A Resin Paperweight

If you wish to add extra decorative elements to your flowers, you may preserve them with transparent epoxy glue.

To make a resin paperweight:

  • Go to your local craft store to buy a mold.
  • Fill it partially with epoxy glue and carefully place the flowers in the fluid.
  • Fill it to the top and let it dry. 

Once completed, you’ll have that lovely adornment to keep your flowers blooming indefinitely.

Dipping Them In Wax

Waxed flowers can’t indefinitely preserve your flowers, but they can prolong the life of your blossoms for up to six months, without losing their natural integrity and hues. When done correctly, you may not be able to distinguish whether a flower is fresh or wax-dipped.

You’ll need paraffin wax and a pan to preserve your flower bouquet. Melt the wax in a pot of hot water until it becomes evenly smooth. Reduce the heat of the burner to allow the mixture to cool slightly. Then, immerse the flowers delicately into the wax solution. Pull them out right away and put them upside down. Once dried, the blooms may be retained for the coming months.

Final Thoughts

Bouquets have this fleeting beauty that you may not want to happen sooner. So, if you just received one that reminds you of something or someone very close to your heart, it’s best to preserve them. After all, there are many simple and effective ways to make a keepsake from the blossoms and hold on to its memories longer.

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