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.

The Mighty Crocus - First to Bloom - What's Blooming at Studio Sprig

Finding the small, but mighty, crocus peeking out of brown grasses is one of the first signs that Spring has sprung. These photos were taken on March 11 at my farm, Windy Hill, and although Spring does not officially arrive until March 20th, we can fake it til we make it.

Masses of wild crocuses have been consistently popping up here every year since we moved in, 18 years ago. They brighten up the brittle, dry grasses and leaves and seem to scream “Wake up people, winter’s over”.

What Is A Crocus?

Believe it or not, crocuses belong to the Iris family and are native to the Mediterranean and parts of Asia. The history of crocus cultivation dates back to the Bronze Age, although the exact origin of crocus remains a mystery. They are small perennials, and they grow from corms, not bulbs. And if you don’t know what that means, take a look at this chart below. Source: brainly.in

Crocuses can poke out of the ground even when snow is present, but I have noticed they will only open if the weather is warm. Yesterday, all of my crocuses opened, but today the temps in Pennsylvania are dipping back into the 50’s, and the crocuses decided to stay closed.

Crocus Petals and Colors

Crocus flowers have six petals, three inner petals alternating with three outer petals and some believe they resemble a cup or chalice. The flowers are available in yellow, purple, white, pink, blue, orange, and even some striped varieties. They are low to the ground and only grow between 3 and 6 inches tall. The stamen are bright orange, the perfect color to attract bees.

Crocus Varieties

Carl Linnaeus originally included two species in his crocus findings in 1753. Today the estimated number of species of Crocus varies widely, anywhere between 80 and 160, with new species continuing to be identified all the time. Crocus Sativus, shown below, is a variety known for producing saffron, a spice, food coloring, and medicine that comes from the stamen of only the Crocus Sativus. Saffron has chemicals that might affect mood, kill cancer cells, decrease swelling, and act like antioxidants. It’s important to note that other types of crocus are known to be toxic, so if you’d like to harvest saffron, be sure you are growing Crocus Sativus. If you would like to try growing Crocus Sativus for a saffron harvest, keep in mind, that around 150 flowers produce only one gram of saffron.

The Meaning of the Crocus

The spiritual meaning of the crocus flower is centered around awakening, renewal, and transformation. In some cultures, the crocus flower is considered lucky. For example, in ancient Greece, it was believed that if you came across a crocus flower while walking, you would have good luck in the coming year. - source: foliagefriend.com

Pollination and Spreading

Bees pollinate crocuses. In early spring they provide a fantastic source of much-needed nutrition for bee colonies emerging from hibernation. When the crocus flowers bloom, they produce seeds that can be dispersed by wind or animals. However, it's important to note that crocus corms primarily reproduce through corm division rather than seed propagation. - source: shuncy.com

Preserving Crocus Blooms

Like any flower, there are three ways to preserve the crocus's beauty.

1. Submerge them in Silicone Drying Crystals (link below)

2. Lay flat on an air-circulating tray or surface (link below)

3. Press the flowers flat in a flower press (link below)

Helpful Links

If these little gems are not popping up in your yard already, why not try your hand at it? If you’d like to buy crocus corms, or items to help you dry, press, or display your perennial crocuses, use the convenient links below. If you want further instructions on flower drying, please read this blog.

Flower Drying Crystals

Herb and Flower Drying Rack

Crocus Variety Corms for Planting

Flower Press Kit

Saffron producing Crocus Sativus corms

Mini Crocus Vases