Sure, fresh flowers have their place in the world, but we can’t forget about dried flowers. Whether you purchase an already dry bouquet or dry your own fresh flowers, you’re sure to love these long-lasting beauties.
If you ever get tired of looking at a dried flower arrangement, don’t worry. When you order dried flowers online, you can do a lot more with them than you might realize. There are lots of ways you can give these flowers and foliage a new life. Keep reading to learn about some of the most popular types of dried flowers as well as ideas for what to do with dried flowers.
Types of Dried Flowers
If you’re thinking a dried flower is just a flower that’s dried, you’re right! That said, some flowers dry much better than others. Here are some all-stars of the dried flower world.
Pampas Grass
Pampas grass is an ornamental grass that’s commonly used in landscaping, but it also makes a great addition to dried bouquets. The stalks are topped with large, fluffy, feather-like plumes. Pampas grass is most often white or tan, but it can also come in pink, purple, and other colorful shades.
Loofah
Before there were plastic bath sponges, there were loofahs. These natural, dried sponges are the interior of a gourd. While they make excellent scrubbers in the sink and shower, they also add some interesting texture to dried bouquets.
Sago Palm
While all sorts of dried palms can be used in flower arrangements, sago palms are some of the most popular. The large leaves work well as a backdrop for smaller flowers.
Gomphrena
Also known as globe amaranth, gomphrena is a little round flower that resembles lollipops. Since the flowers are stiff if texture, they dry beautifully. Gomphrena comes in a wide variety of colors, including pink, purple, and orange.
Strawflower
While the strawflower looks a bit like a daisy, it’s completely different in texture. While daisies are soft and delicate, strawflowers have a rough texture, even when fresh. When you dry strawflowers, they maintain their shape and texture. You can find strawflowers that are red, pink, yellow, orange, and other colors.
Bleached Aster
In case you didn’t know, aster is the general term for flowers in the daisy family. They include blooms of multiple sizes and colors. However, bleached asters aren’t colorful, but rather a peaceful off-white color.
Cornflower
Also known as bachelor’s buttons, cornflowers are small flowers with delicate petals. Both the whole flower as well as individual petals work well as dried flowers. Cornflowers are most often blue, but they also come in white, pink, and purple.
Bleached Oats
While you may think of oatmeal when you hear oats, there are also ornamental varieties of oats that are simply stunning. Oats grow with multiple grains from one stalk, leading to a firework-like appearance. As with other bleached plants, bleached oats are white.
Silver Dollar
With round, shiny seed pods that resemble their namesake coin, silver dollars add real glamour to any dried bouquet. This plant is also known as lunaria. If you happen upon fresh lunaria plants, don’t be surprised if they’re green. The seed pods will turn silver in color as they dry.
Bunny Tails
If you want a simple yet stunning grass, don’t look any further than bunny tails. This plant has an inflorescence that resembles cute little bunny tails.
What to Do With Dried Wedding Flowers
Once your big day is over, don’t throw away your wedding bouquet and centerpieces! By drying your flowers, you can keep them around for years to come. After your flowers are dried, you have lots of options for reusing them.
One idea is to use the dried petals to create a candle. An easy way to do this is to glue the petals to the outside of a pre-made candle. Another option is to mix the petals in with hot wax and pour the mixture into a candle mold or mason jar. No matter what option you choose, burning the candle will remind you of your wedding and the love you and your partner share.
Another option is to simply save the dried petals for future occasions. When you need a way to add some romance or make dinner feel special, sprinkle some of the petals on the table.
One more idea is to save your dried wedding bouquet in a shadow box. This will protect it from harm and allow you to enjoy it in the future.
What to Do With Dried Funeral Flowers
By saving funeral flowers, you’ll have a beautiful reminder of your loved one who has passed.
One way to keep the flowers around is by creating a suncatcher. One great thing about this option is that you can go as casual or professional as you like.
To create a simple and inexpensive suncatcher, place the petals between two pieces of wax paper and tape the edges. If you’d like to make something that looks a bit more professional, use two pieces of hard plastic or glass to frame the flowers. Seal the edges with metallic tape and you’re good to go. Each time you look at the suncatcher, you’ll be reminded of your loved one.
Another option to preserve funeral flowers is to use the flowers in a picture frame. Use a little glue to secure the flowers to the frame, and let dry. Coat the flowers with a layer of resin to add shine and protect the flowers from harm. Place a photo of your lost loved one in the frame to remember the happy moments you shared.
Pressed Flower Cards
Rather than throwing away a bouquet, reuse the blooms to create pressed flower cards. All you’ll need is dried, pressed flowers, glue, a paintbrush, and some blank cards. Create a bunch of cards at once, and you’ll be ready for any special occasion.
If you are starting with fresh flowers or old flowers, you can always dry them for your cards. Remember that some flowers press better than others. Small flowers like violets, pansies, and lavender are great choices. However, you can also dry bigger flowers like roses. The key to this is to remove the rose petals and dry them individually.
Gift Wrap Upgrade
If you’re looking for a way to spruce up your gift wrapping, add some dry flowers! Simple brown paper and twine make the perfect backdrop for dried flower toppers.
Bath Salts
Need some help relaxing? Then turn dried flower petals into some bath salts!
While you can use any flower for these salts, rose petals and lavender work especially well. If you’re using flowers without much smell, you can always add some of your favorite essential oils to the salts.
To make a floral bath salt, combine your petals with two parts Epsom salt, two parts sea salt, and one part baking soda.
Wall Art
If you have large dry, pressed flowers, put them on display as wall art! Find a frame and a piece of cardstock that will fit the flowers. Next, glue the flowers to the paper using basic craft glue and a paintbrush.
Once the glue is dry, frame your creation. If you want to create a big statement piece, make multiple pieces of art and hang them together.
Dried Flower Wreath
Who says wreaths have to be made from pine branches? Dried flowers and grasses make excellent wreaths that are great for any occasion.
Since dried flowers are fragile, you’ll need to be careful when you’re attaching them to a wreath. However, it can be done!
To create a dried flower wreath, you’ll need the following:
- Grapevine wreath base
- Floral wire
- Wire cutters
- Dried flowers
- Floral tape
The first step is to arrange the flowers around the base until you find a style you like. Remember that you don’t need to cover all the base with material, some visible grapevine is fine.
Once you’re happy, begin attaching the flowers with floral wire. Wrap the stems of the flowers tight enough that they’re secure, but not so tight that they break. After you’ve wrapped it with wire, add a layer of floral tape. Continue this process until all your material is attached.
Since your wreath is already dried, you can keep it for years to come. Just make sure to store it somewhere where the materials won’t get crushed.
Potpourri
If you have fragrant flowers, go ahead and dry them out for potpourri! If you’re not familiar with potpourri, it’s a mix of dried flowers, spices, and sometimes essential oils. By placing containers or sachets of potpourri around your house, you end up with fresh-smelling spaces.
Jewelry
That’s right, dried flowers make great jewelry! After all, who wouldn’t want to wear flowers?
By using a metal pendant base, epoxy resin, and dried flowers, you’ll be able to create a necklace, earrings, bracelet, and more. While the finished product might look complicated, making dried flower jewelry is actually quite simple.
First, fill a quarter of the pendant base with resin (make sure it’s the type that dries clear). Next, use a pair of tweezers to add your dried flowers. It will be difficult to rearrange them once they hit the resin, so work carefully. Once the flowers are in place, add another layer of resin on top.
All that’s left to do is allow the resin to dry and add on any necessary chains.
Homemade Paper
Did you know you can make paper? And did you know you can add dried flowers for a bit of color?
Making paper is a relatively easy process, but it does require a bit of time and some special materials.
To make flower paper, you’ll need the following:
- Scraps of old paper
- Dried flowers
- Water
- Blender
- Large bin
- Mould and deckle (frame with a screen)
After you’ve gathered your materials, follow these basic steps.
- Mix together the paper and water and let sit overnight.
- Blend the mixture until you have a smooth slurry.
- Mix in the dried flowers.
- Pour the slurry on top of the mould and deckle then smooth.
- Press the screen until all excess water escapes.
- Transfer the paper to a flat surface and let dry.
Now that you’re armed with a wide variety of projects you can undertake with dried flowers, you can order a bouquet online with the knowledge that you have countless things to do with that dried flower bouquet. If you need some more ideas, you can try making candles with dried flowers or a dried flower mobile.
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