Preserve Your Expression of Love with Preserved Flowers

Have you ever seen a preserved flower? Make sure that you aren’t mistaking dried flowers as preserved flowers, as both of them are different. Both are flowers that are processed to ensure they last longer than they should usually be, but the processes and appearances are different. Preserved flowers are freshly cut flowers that undergo methods of preservation. The preservation process will make the flowers look natural, maintaining their original suppleness, brightness, appearance, and last up to several months or years.

Because preserved flowers undergo quite the process to keep their beauty, they are a perfect gift for your loved ones to make them feel special. What’s more, your expression of love for them will last longer than fresh flowers, making them being able to enjoy your special gift for a longer time. Make sure to consider these facts when selecting what kind of flowers you are going to give them!

 

The process of flower preservation

To create enchanting preserved flowers, some steps need to be done. The flowers used must be natural flowers that are hand-picked, but not just any flowers. They must be the flowers at the peak of their blooming season. They are delivered to the factory for further sorting, grading, and processing. The preservation process will allow the blooms to maintain their beautiful appearance for a longer time. Usually, the preservation uses glycerin and other natural plant elements. The preservation will re-hydrate the flowers from their petals to the stem, replacing the sap within it.

The best kind of flowers to preserve

Most flowers can be preserved, although sturdier flowers can achieve better results in preservations. Those flowers include:

• Roses
• Chrysanthemums
• Daisies
• Carnations
• Gerberas
• Peruvian lilies
• Cymbidium orchids
• Billy buttons

Roses are the most preserved flowers because of their enchanting beauty and the perfect message they hold.

 

How long can preserved flowers last?

Preserved flowers can last for a lengthy amount of time or very long, depending on how we care for them. They can last for at least a year, although in some cases that can even live up to 35 years. The length of their lives depending on the methods used to display them.

• Open-air display. If the preserved flowers are displayed in an open-air box or vase, they might be able to last for one to three years.
• Glass display. Remember the rose that The Beast displayed in the famous Disney movie “Beauty and the Beast”? That is the exact visualization for the preserved flowers in a glass display. Although it may not last for hundreds or thousands of years, it can last up to 35 years for the longest. If you wish to preserve them longer, the recommended solution is to get the preservation process done by a professional florist, not by yourself. Professional florists will surely have better equipment and chemicals needed to preserve the flowers longer.

How should I display my preserved flowers?

There are plenty of creative ways to display your flowers but keep in mind their lifespan if you wish to preserve them longer. You can put them in a box or vase, in picture frames, in an enclosed glass terrarium, or an epoxy resin mold.

How to take care of preserved flowers?

To ensure that your preserved flowers can retain their beauty, freshness, and last in their longest shelf-life, take notes of the few tips below:

• Keep your preserved flowers out of direct sunlight and bright lights. The heat from the lights may cause the flowers to fade.
• Do not water or spray any perfume on the flowers. Water and the chemicals in perfume might damage their preservation and cause them to fade quickly.
• Keep them away from humid rooms and ventilation grilles.
• Do not press or bend the petals or stems. They are very delicate. The natural oils we have on our hands might cause them damage, shortening their shelf-life.
• If you plan to put your preserved flowers in glass frame or case, do not take them out of the case once it has been sealed. If the seal is broken, it might cause them to deteriorate quicker.
• If you plan to put them in an open-air arrangement, you might want to clean them once in a while. You can use spray compressed air onto the flowers to spray off the dust, but do not spray them too close. You can also use a hairdryer on the lowest speed and no heat to clean them, or use a feather duster on preserved flowers with sturdier arrangements.

 

How is the smell of preserved flowers?

Because of the preservation process, the natural scent of flowers is taken away. There are no preserved flowers that have the original scent from nature. Florists mostly add scents after the preservation process to make them smell great with their wonderful fragrance again.

If you want to give a scent to your preserved flowers, do not spray them with perfume. Use a few drops of essential oils at the bottom of the containers used (box or vase), making them seem like they have a scent again.

 

What are the differences between dried flowers and preserved flowers?

The differences between the two flowers are the method of preserving them and their results in appearance. When making dried flowers, we leave them to dry naturally, like hanging them upside down. They had their moisture removed through the natural dehydration process and usually look hard and break easily. Meanwhile, preserved flowers had their moisture in flowers and foliage replaced with glycerine and undergo a more complicated process, resulting in a natural appearance as if they are freshly-cut flowers.

Both dried and preserved flowers can also be dyed, making their colors look more vibrant, but these colors will both fade over time. Both can be a perfect option instead of fresh flowers, as they require low maintenance, ideal for people with allergies to flowers’ pollen, available for all-year-round, and can be prepared much further in advance for a gift.