Framed Florals F A Q // Which Flowers Press the Best?
One of our most frequently asked questions is “which flowers are best for pressing, and which ones are not?” Over the years, we have learned through experience which flowers cooperate best for our traditional pressing methods, and which ones to avoid. When customers send in bouquets to press, we press all flowers supplied and then hand select which blooms will work best for our customized frames. When choosing which to use, we take into consideration not only how the flower will lay in the frame, but also which flowers will work best for the composition.
Though there are plenty of other flowers and plants that press well, this is a short list of botanicals that we have found to press successfully:
Anemones, Astilbe, Astrantia, Baby’s Breath, Billy Balls, Blushing Bride Protea, Butterfly Ranunculus, Caspia, Clematis, Cosmos, Delphinium, Dogwood, Dusty Miller, Eucalyptus, Ferns, Hellebores, Hydrangeas, Larkspur, Lavender, Lunaria, Mountain Mint, Pampas Grass, Peonies, Queen Annes Lace, Ranunculus, Rice Flower, Salvia, Scabiosa, Spirea, Sweet Peas, Spray Roses & Orlaya.
When preserving, we should mention is that the fresher the flowers, the better! If the blooms are fresher then there will be less chance for browning and a higher chance of color retention. We like to avoid arrangements of only one type or color of flower. All white flowers have the highest chance of browning and so we don’t work with all white arrangements.
Certain flowers such as, calla lilies, dahlias, roses, lilies, white lisianthus, mums, chrysanthemums, anthurium, tulips, white orchids, tropical varieties, will not press well with our methods. Any thicker flowers will not fit in our minimal thin frames. We do not work with roses because when reassembled they tend to look unnatural and don’t fit the Framed Florals aesthetic.
Tips to ensure beautiful pressed flowers : The fresher the better. Store flowers in cool, clean water and away from direct sun. When not using flowers, or bouquets, keep them in water and in a cool space. Flowers that have been sprayed with glitter, sparkles, or any harsh chemicals will most likely turn brown and not press out successfully.