How to Preserve and Use Your Spring Flowers - All Year Long

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

Fresh Hydrangea

Dry Hydrangea

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.

Glue Guns

Grapevine Wreaths

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.

Floating Glass Frames

Clear Tape

Craft Tweezers

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.

Silica Gel Drying Crystals

Containers with Lids

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. 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.

Host a Fabulous Bouquet Bar for Valentine's Day

Winter is the perfect time to host or plan a Bouquet Bar as the highlight of your next special event. Bridal and baby showers seem to be the most popular choices for flower fun, but you can host a Bouquet Bar anytime you want. Girlfriend getaways, book club nights, and birthday and dinner parties lend themselves nicely because no matter the occasion, everyone loves going home with fresh flowers. So since Valentine’s Day is coming up, why not invite some friends over to build pretty bouquets?

Should I D-I-Y My Bouquet Bar?

You can hire a professional to create your bouquet bar or you can D-I-Y it by following these easy steps. If you prefer this option, a professional will bring everything to your site, set up, instruct, and clean up. But if you choose to do it yourself, you only need a few things to pull off a successful bar, the most important being a reliable source of some great focal flowers and foliage.

Here is a list of everything you will need:

• A work table for guests to spread out

• A reliable water source (a sink or hose)

• Tablecloths and towels

• Vases or pretty water-tight pots for assembly

• Sheers for each participant

• Flower Buckets to display your greens & flowers

• Fresh Flowers and Greens

• Flower Food

• Paper goods for refreshments

Prepare the Space

You can create your bouquet bar anywhere that works. Dining rooms, kitchens, patios, decks. Just make sure you have a source of water nearby and that cleanup will not be too difficult. If you’re creating a Bouquet Bar at work, you will probably want to choose a conference room because it will have a lot of space.

Find a good area and set up enough tablespace for everyone to work comfortably. The Bouquet Bar above hosted 11 people and the instructor. This was created in an average-sized dining room. We first placed the tablecloth and each participant received a paper towel. For a more formal party, you can also supply your guests with cloth towels and give them as favors after the event.

Tools and Vessels

It’s important to provide each guest with flower snips or sharp scissors because they will each want to trim their stems and you don’t want everyone reaching around the table sharing snips. You can buy multipacks of scissors or invest in better-quality garden snips that your guests can take home. This will depend on the size of your party and/or occasion.

As for the vessel, I always like to choose a short opaque pot that is water-tight. I think this shape and size above work well for creating an arrangement. But you can always provide tall vases if large and tall arrangements are your preference. I try to avoid clear glass only because I like it when the stems are concealed. The vessels in the photo were purchased at Michaels.

Flower Buckets for Display

Choosing your flower and foliage display buckets is a simple way to “theme up” your event. There are many buckets to choose from including a chippy farmhouse french style, formal basic black, or industrial galvanized metal. Set the buckets up on a covered buffet table or an extra folding table, and be sure to style it according to your theme.

Flowers and Foliage

In the winter months you’ll want to contact a wholesaler if you can so that you can get larger quantities to fill your display buckets. In the spring, summer and fall months I’d find a local flower farm or two and purchase your flowers from them. They will be the best quality and the growers will appreciate your business.

How Many Do I Buy?

Counting stems is a critical part of all of this planning. I always overbuy my flowers because I’d rather have too many than not enough. It’s a good idea to purchase an extra vessel and do a dry run arrangement with some flowers and greens. Then take it apart and count how many foliage and flower stems you used. Triple that and multiply it by the number of guests. You’ll want to have a nice variety to choose from and if you have too few of something, some arrangements may seem sparse. And remember, flowers do break in transit, during processing, and when Bouquet Bar enthusiasts get TOO ENTHUSIASTIC. So be sure to order more than you’ll need. You’ll be happy you did.

Focal flowers, filler flowers (the secondary flowers, not the primary focus) and foliage (the greens) are generally all sold in bunches of 10, so if you want only one type of focal flower, choose only that. But if you want your guests to have choices, then split up your order and buy a variety of flowers. Popular ideas for foliage and filler flowers are eucalyptus, asparagus fern, and wax flower.

Preparing the Flowers

The day before your event, you’ll need to process all the flowers and greenery. This means, taking all the bunches out of the paper or plastic, cleaning and trimming each stem before placing it in fresh cold water with flower food. This is a good time to divide up and organize your buckets so that everything looks well-displayed.

Before trimming the bottom of each stem so that it comfortably fits into its bucket, thoroughly strip each stem of any extra greens or thorns so that leaves do not touch the water. Then store all of your buckets in a cool, dry place overnight. This step is important, as it allows the flowers and foliage to fully hydrate before becoming part of an arrangement and if you are working with tulips, they will stay closed if the space is cool and dark. Proper hydration, allows your arrangements to stay fresher longer.

Day of Event

On the day of the event, style your flower buckets any way you like. You can scatter them around the room or patio, offering different heights for interest but try to keep like things together. For instance, foliage can be in one area, focals in another. Then, set up your guest’s work table and fill each vessel halfway with water.

When the guests arrive, put on some music, explain the bouquet bar, and instruct them to consider what sort of bouquet they’d like to create.

You’ll be creating with your guests so show them how to first choose 5-7 stems of foliage (depending on the size of the vessel) to arrange as a base. Once the foliage is cut and designed in each vessel, point your guests in the direction of the filler flowers. Once the filler and foliage are styled to everyone’s tastes, have your guests choose 3, 5, or 7 focal flowers to round out their bouquet. Do not forget to stage a photo which can serve as a nice thank-you note after the event.

Bouquet Bars are always a big hit so I hope you were inspired by this post and comment about your own experiences. Thank you for visiting.

Thank you, Ileana, for the use of your photos.