Enjoying Spring Flowers

There’s nothing like the first blooms of Spring to brighten your day. The only trouble is that many perennials, like lilacs and peonies, don’t last very long. That’s why it’s very important to preserve them quickly if you’d like to use them in the future.

What You Can Do With Preserved Spring Flowers

Create a Dried Bouquet or Host A Dry Bouquet Bar
Create a Dried Arrangement or Host A Dry Arrangement Bar
Create a Dried Wreath or Host A Dry Wreath Bar
Create a Floral Memento or Host A Floral Memento Event

How to Host A Dry Bouquet or Arrangement Bar

Hosting a Dry Bouquet or Arrangement Bar requires a fairly large room or outdoor space, depending on the size of the event, because you’ll need a table for displaying your flowers, as well as a workstation for each guest.

What You’ll Need

You should have at least one long table to display your dried flowers and greens, and at least one long 6-foot table per 3 guests. Arranging dried flowers does take up a fair amount of space, and it can get quite messy, so prepare with tablecloths. I like to stash big rubber bins under my tables for easy cleanup.

Provide each guest with a vessel or vase, and a flower snip to easily cut the stems.

And just like arranging with fresh, start each arrangement with your greens and work up to focal flowers. It’s much more difficult to design with dried flowers, as they are brittle and stiff. They fall apart easily, so be gentle when handling them. In shallow vessels, it’s a good idea to use a frog for stability. In the colorful arrangement above, I used chicken wire and shoved it into the iron, vintage vessel. It does a great job holding everything in place.

Host A Dry Wreath Bar

Wreath Bars are fun anytime of year, but especially around a seasonal change or holiday. Everyone likes a new wreath to hang on their door or wall.

What You’ll Need

All you have to do to host a wreath bar is display all of your previously made dried flowers and greens in attractive vessels and group items accordingly. Set up a few work tables or stations and invite guests to bring a wreath of their choice and a glue gun.

You can alternatively provide glue, glue guns and wreaths for everyone if you are hosting a bridal shower and want this to be a creative activity. But if this is just a fun event for friends, I recommend the “bring your own” wreath bar to keep things simple. This also enables each guest to choose the size and style of wreath they’d like to make.

Photos of the event are crucial so be sure to take lots.

Host A Dried Flower Framed Momento Bar

Framing a cherished memento is so satisfying. It’s a way to preserve a memory from a wedding, a birth, a precious handwritten card or note, or a photograph you just love with all your heart. Framed mementos make meaningful gifts all year long, so why not use your spring flowers and showcase special memories.

What You’ll Need To Create a Memento Bar

For this each guest will need only pressed, dried flowers, a memento, glue dots, and a frame. To prepare your flowers, you can use the pressing technique outlined below.

Arrange all of the flowers and green options on a big table, and give your guests an area to freely create their masterpiece. Provide each guest with a frame slightly larger than their memento. These floating glass frames work very well and they come in many sizes.

First, clean both pieces of glass. Then, use double-sided, clear tape or glue dots to place the memento wherever you want it on the first layer of glass. Now you can begin adhering the flowers. Be very careful, as dried, pressed flowers can be very delicate. You may want to provide some craft tweezers for precision.

When the design is finished, place the second piece of glass on top and assemble the frame.

There are Various Ways to Preserve Flowers

Here are four ways you can preserve your fresh Spring flowers.

Dry Flowers in Silica
Hang Flowers Upside Down
Air Dry Flowers on a Flat Surface
Flower Pressing

Flower Drying in Silica

To dry fresh flowers in silica, first you must prepare your containers and fill them with Silica Gel Flower Drying Crystals. I prefer using these Rubbermaid Containers with Lids to prevent spills. I normally have five containers going at once. Just line the bottom of each container with silica crystals and lay the flowers so that they are not touching or overlapping. Then pour more silica over the top until the flowers and stems are covered. Place the lid securely on the container and store for about a week in a cool, dark (but not moist) place.

When you remove the flowers from the silica, be careful not to break the flowers and stems, as they will be dry and brittle, but remarkably in tact. I always use a small spatula.

Hang Flowers upside Down

A very old and simple method of drying fresh flowers is simply hanging them upside down.

Game Changer Hooks

I have bunches hanging all around my home in the springtime, and I find the little, black hooks pictured below are especially helpful. They are typically used to hang utensils, but I’m able to attach flower bundles to almost anything with these little hooks - game changer.

Air Dry Flowers on a Flat Surface

There is nothing wrong with just placing your flowers on a flat surface and waiting for them to dry, but I would only do this if you prefer the crunchy look. Flowers typically shrivel when they dry this way while they retain their shape and texture with the silicon method above. However, with some flowers like lilac, I really like this look. I think it will be pretty when I use it on a wreath.

See the Difference

The lilac above was dried with the flat surface method, while the tulips below were preserved in Silica Gel Crystals. You can clearly see the difference.

Flower Pressing

You can also preserve your flowers by pressing them until they are dry.

For this method, carefully flatten and layer flowers between thick sheets of watercolor paper, then press them between heavy books, or buy a flower press and do many layers at once.

A Flower Press

I use this sweet Flower Press from Aboofx. What I love about it is the small profile. It’s only 11” square and fits nicely on a small table in my workspace and it would be right at home in a greenhouse. It comes with all the tools, papers, cardboard layers, and a travel bag.

Thanks for visiting. When preserving your Spring flowers, choose the method that works best for you and enjoy your flowers for as long as possible. I’d love to hear what you’re doing with your garden. Comment below.