Preserving Your Flower Gardens
By Kay DiVerde
What could be better than enjoying your beautiful flowers outside and then preserving them to enjoy inside all year long? Many people prefer preserved flowers and foliage to plastic or silk ones. When preserving flowers from your own gardens, choose quality sharp tools to make the cuts. Find out which preserving method works best for the variety you have.
Types of Flowers that Preserve Well
Flowers that preserve well and are easily available include roses, marigolds, goldenrod, yarrow, zinnias and hydrangeas. You may also choose to preserve colored fall leaves, magnolia leaves and mistletoe with glycerin to use in seasonal decorations. It is also possible to preserve a wedding bouquet to create a special keepsake. Flowers can be preserved throughout the year, but it is most common to do it in the spring and summer when flowers are in season.
When cutting your flowers, keep in mind that the flowers will open more during the preservation process. It is generally recommended to cut right before flowers are in full bloom, but if you want a variety in your dried arrangement, cut flowers at different stages. Cut flowers in the late morning when they are dry but not wilted from the heat. Use quality, sharp tools, such as floral scissors. They are easy to maneuver between delicate branches and blossoms. The stem will have a nice clean edge, and the plant will heal quickly from the cut.
Techniques of Flower Preservation
There are many methods and materials that can be used to preserve flowers. Some are great for certain flowers, and others may be terrible for other types. Start with a small sampling to be sure the method you choose works with your flower type.
The purpose of drying flowers (except for the microwave drying method) is to slowly dry freshly cut flowers in a way that keeps them in a lifelike manner. They remain lifelike in regards to form, color, texture and flexibility. The most common and simple method for air drying is to tie a bunch of cut flowers together and hang them upside down in a dark room that is warm and dry. In order to use this method, cut flowers just before they are fully opened. These flowers work well for air drying preservation: goldenrod, dock, baby’s breath, cattail, statice, celosia, heather and pussy willow. Pink flowers tend to fade when air dried, but blue, orange and yellow flowers should retain their colors. Roses and peonies may shrink a little with this method.
If you want to use your preserved flowers in a framed display, you may want to choose the pressing method. Simply place the flowers between the pages of a book, close the book and place extra weight on top of it. You can also get excellent results from a plant press. This methods works well with the following varieties: Violets, pansies, larkspur and ferns.
Using Drying Agents
Some people feel using drying agents is the best method for preserving flowers. Granular materials such as kitty litter, sand and Borax combination, and white cornmeal and Borax combination are used to dry flowers. When using drying materials, some small particles may cling to the flowers or produce small holes in the petals. Be sure to cover the flowers correctly with the dry agent to maintain their shape. To use this method start by putting an inch or so of drying material at the bottom of the container. With a sharp tool cut the flower stem to about a half an inch. Place the flower stem into the middle of the drying material on the bottom of the container. Your next step is to pour the drying material along the perimeter of your container. Pour away from the flower until you build up a continuous mound of about an inch. If you tap lightly on the container, the material will move to the flower. This should not alter the form of the petals. Keep adding the material, tapping on the container, and so on, until the flower is completely covered. Your last step is to add about an inch of drying material above the top of the flower.
The drying material used will decide how long to leave the flowers drying before removing them. Here are some rough guidelines:
- Borax and white cornmeal (use a 2:1 combination). Let dry about 10 days.
- Borax and sand (use a 2:1 combination). Let dry about 16 days.
Using Water to Dry Flowers
Believe it or not, some flowers such as Hydrangeas, yarrow, bells-of-Ireland and celosia, can be dried if put in water. Place the flower stems in a couple of inches of water. Allow the water to evaporate and be taken up by the cut flower. Store the container in a warm, dry and dark location while drying out.
In addition to flowers, foliage can also be preserved. One method many of us used as kids is still used today. That is done by placing the foliage between two pieces of waxed paper and then using a medium-hot iron to press the waxed paper. This preserves the flexibility and also the colors of the foliage. Be sure to use a new piece of waxed paper with each piece of foliage.
Stems and Leaves
You can also preserve stems and leaves with a glycerin/water mixture. Glycerin should be available from your pharmacist. This method works well for magnolia, mistletoe, ivies, mahonia, eucalyptus, boxwood, beech, camellia, oak and rhododendron. When leaves are mature, take a hammer and mash the stem ends of each branch. Then put the stems in a warm mixture of glycerin and water. The combination is one part glycerin to two parts water. The branches used should be no longer than 18 inches, and remember the branches absorb the solution, too. Make the solution depth about 6 inches deep. Once the entire leaf turns golden brown, you'll know the process is complete. This may take two to three weeks.
There are many methods used to preserve flowers and foliage. We’ve covered the basics, so you can try the process and see how it works for you and your flower gardens. Try different methods for different flowers to see which work best for you. The cut is the key. Use quality sharp tools to cut your flowers, and they’ll absorb drying solutions best and look the nicest in your arrangements.
Kay DiVerde is a freelance writer, horticultural researcher and consultant for Orchard's Edge. DiVerde also writes for a variety of newsletters and publications in the Midwest.
