Dried flowers have come a long way from the dusty arrangements your grandmother had. Today, dried flowers are a design statement — sculptural, textural, and surprisingly long-lasting. Here is everything you need to know.
The easiest flowers to dry are those with a woody stem and low moisture content. Statice, strawflower, gomphrena, and lavender are all great for beginners. They dry well and hold their colour.
The simplest method is air drying. Tie stems in small bunches with rubber bands (they shrink as they dry) and hang them upside down in a dry, dark, well-ventilated spot. Two to three weeks is usually enough.
For faster results, you can use silica gel. Bury the flowers in a container of silica gel crystals and seal it. Most flowers will be dry in 2-5 days with excellent colour retention. It is more expensive but the results are superior.
Once dried, keep your flowers out of direct sunlight to prevent fading. A dusting with a hair dryer on cool, low setting every few weeks will keep them looking fresh. With care, dried arrangements can last years.
Our favourite way to use dried flowers is mixed with fresh. A few dried statice stems in a fresh bouquet adds texture and means you can keep part of the arrangement long after the fresh flowers have faded.