Let’s be real.
Fresh flowers are beautiful for the first couple of days, but they then become wilted, sad stems in a vase yearning to be replaced by a fresh new bunch.
This can not only become costly, but tiresome.
Our Home is a huge fan of dried flower arrangements, not only because they don’t require any upkeep, but because you can have a beautiful bouquet in the centre of your home all year round.
Here’s how to create your very own with a few different ways to dry flowers.
AIR-DRIED
Create small bunches of the same flower and hang them upside down to dry.
For the best result, hang them in a warm, dark space, such as a closet.
The heat speeds up the drying process and prevents the flowers from going mouldy.
After a few days the flowers will have dried — you can test this by squeezing the stem.
When it is no longer flexible, your dried flowers are ready.
IN THE OVEN
Perhaps the quickest way to dry flowers.
Set the temperature of an oven to its lowest setting and put the flowers inside upright, placing an oven rack at the bottom of the oven to support the stems.
Leave the door cracked so moisture can evaporate.
After three to four hours, remove the dried flowers and place them on a rack to cool.
WITH A BOOK
A third way to dry flowers is to press them using heavy books.
Spread your favourite flowers between sheets of newspaper or tissue paper to protect against wrinkles, then place the paper in or under a heavy book.
This will take about three weeks to dry.
Make sure to refresh the paper regularly so the flowers don't rot when moisture is released.
You will achieve the best results here with fresh-cut flowers.
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