Dried Flowers are real flowers that have had the moisture removed through a natural dehydration process. They began as fresh flowers and have been dried or preserved through various techniques to go from lasting a week, to years.
Dried flowers have been on trend for the past two years. They have become a must-have decor piece in most homes, cafes and salons. They are an amazing gift as they are memorable and can last for years.
How are dried flowers made?
Dried florals have been dried out through a process such as, hanging upside down, dehydrating in a vase or in some instances, drying out in the microwave.
Once the flowers have been completely dried out or dehydrated (which usually takes a few weeks), they are then professionally treated with a setting solution and in some instances, dyed or coloured if they have faded during the drying process.
We have written an in depth article that provides you with the steps you need to dry your own flowers at home.
How to dry flowers: ‘To dry flowers, select a fresh bunch of flowers. Then, strip the stems of any excess leaves. Followed by bunching each kind of flower together with a rubber band. Finally, hang upside down and place in a dark & dry room. Leave to air dry for 2-3 weeks'.
How long do dried flowers last?
Dried flowers are very low maintenance and if kept out of direct sunlight, wind and humidity they can last for at least one year, up to 6 years.
What do you call dried flowers?
Whilst many people refer to dried flowers as different things, the most popular names are:
- Everlasting flowers
- Long lasting flowers
- Preserved flowers
- Everlasting blooms
- Dry flowers
- Dried florals
- Dried blooms
- Everlasting florals
- Preserved florals
- Everlastings
How do you use dried flowers?
1. Decorating
Our favourite use for dried flowers has to be decorating! They are very popular amongst interior lovers and for good reason. They are beautiful in any space, are very low maintenance and won’t need to be replaced frequently.
You can display dried botanicals as a dried flower arrangement, dried flower bouquet in a vase you may already have at home, flower wreath or wall installation. You can also have shadow boxes, photo frames, glass domes and so much more.
2. Gifting
Milla Rose helped connect friends, family and colleagues over these difficult past two years through memorable gifts. Everlasting flowers make for amazing gifts due to their longevity, low maintenance and long lasting nature.
You can also use dried flower stems or posies to decorate presents or to create your own gift card. We also love using dried hydrangea petals, scattered in our packages for a gorgeous, vibrant look when the parcel is opened.
3. Cooking
Dried edible flowers look beautiful in cakes and desserts. They can also be used in teas as they often have a sweet and light taste to them. However, not all dried flowers are edible! We recommend purchasing edible dried flowers from a store instead of foraging your own.
4. Beauty products
You may have seen luxury beauty products that contain gorgeous, vibrant florals in them. Dried flowers are perfect to add to your own bath salts that you can make at home or body oils. If DIY isn’t your thing, leave the rejuvenating bath soaks to the experts like we do.
5. Events and Weddings
An amazing alternative to fresh flowers at events and weddings are dried flowers. This is because they can be ordered and made well ahead of time and they won’t need to be thrown away once your event is finished!
Having dried flowers at your wedding means you get to keep them at the end, display them in your home and remember the magical day for years to come.
Also, if your event has to be postponed and you’ve already got your flowers, you won’t need to worry about losing money or reordering them as you can hang onto them until the new date.
6. Drawer sachets
Dried flowers, especially those that keep some of their scent like lavender or eucalyptus leaves would be perfect to add to a DIY drawer sachet. Simply get a drawstring pouch or mesh bag and fill it with your favourite dried flowers! Add a few drops of an essential oil to enhance the smell and leave it in your clothes drawers to make them smell lovely.
7. Candles
For those who have experimented with making candles or have purchased a DIY candle making kit, dried flowers are a great way to add a touch of elegance and colour to your candles.
Why are dried flowers so popular?
They are popular due to their longevity, eco-friendliness and their very low maintenance.
They can last between 1 and 6 years if you keep them out of direct sunlight, wind and humidity.
They are real flowers that have been naturally dried or preserved with a special treatment so they don’t need to be thrown away every week and replaced by new ones.
They won’t need to be watered like indoor plants, or replaced frequently like fresh flowers do.
Milla Rose has been specialising in dried and preserved flowers since the beginning of 2020.
We have sold thousands of arrangements and love spreading joy through sustainable and memorable gifts!