Learning how to press flowers is a great way of enjoying beautiful blooms long after summer is over.
It's easy to learn and can be done without any special equipment, but most of all it's fun to do and so simple that even kids can enjoy it too!
Before you begin, choose small flowers and foliage, as they will be quicker to dry and easier to work with, especially if you’re a beginner. Pressed herbs also work well and will allow you to create aromatic designs!
Top tips for pressing flowers:
- The quicker you can press your flowers after picking, the more colour they retain.
- Using heat helps to speed up the drying process - find out how below.
- Newspaper works well when pressing flowers, however, be aware that if you are pressing white, or light coloured flowers the print may transfer. Blotting paper is the best paper to use for pressing flowers.
- Handle your pressed flowers and leaves with care – once dried they will be very fragile.
- Use PVA glue to fix your flowers and foliage in place. A PVA glue pen is ideal for adding glue to small areas.
- Don’t fancy pressing your own blooms? Head over to Amazon to find a beautiful selection of pressed flowers ready for you to buy and use on your craft projects.
Amazing dried flower art
Wondering what to do with your pressed flowers? Get inspired by these incredible pressed flower vases by Shannon Clegg!
Best flowers for pressing
Some flowers press better than others. If you want the easiest flowers to press - look for those that have a single layer of petals as they will take the shortest time to dry out during the pressing process.
It's good to use flowers that keep their colour; the best flowers for pressing include buttercups, pansies, violas, forget-me-nots, daisies, hydrangeas, roses and larkspur.
Leaves and ferns are also easy to press, and it's always worth including a few leaves in your press as they are very useful to use as 'fillers' in your artwork later on.
Lavender also works well - however, once pressed, the buds have a tendency to detach quite readily. If you're going to use pressed lavender for craft, it's a good idea to be ready with the PVA to stabilise your spike once you remove it from the press.
Once you have tried some of the easier flowers to press - and with a little practise, you'll be able to press almost any plant material.
Heavier, bigger flowers (such as sedums or hyacinths) are much more challenging to press - but not impossible - so you may need to doctor the flower slightly before pressing (see below: How to press large flowers).
The pollen on some flowers can also stain heavily, which may ruin or affect the colour of your pressed flowers. Lillies, for example, have a very strong brown-coloured pollen that can even permanently stain clothes.
How long to press flowers?
As a general rule, it can take anywhere from 1 week to 1 month to press flowers. But there are various factors that make a difference to how long to press flowers.
The bigger the flowers and the thicker the petals/stem/pistil are, the longer it will take to press and dry.
Similarly, if your flowers are already quite dry then they will press quicker. Some flowers and plants by their very nature are dryer than others.
For example, ornamental grasses or flowers such as catananche or strawflowers already have very dry papery petals and stems making them perfect for pressing.
Flowers like dahlias or calendula can contain more oils and moisture, which means they'll take longer to press and dry out completely.
How to press flowers
First, when you're selecting your flowers - pick them on a dry day, and put them into your press as soon as you can. This will help create the best-pressed flowers.
When choosing your flowers to press, select the best specimens. It's also a good idea to press a few more petals and leaves from the plant - so if your pressed flower gets damaged, you can easily replace the offending part.
When pressing flowers, you are looking to remove moisture as quickly as possible from the plant and keep the colours vibrant - so warmth and low humidity are essential for excellent results.
How to press flowers in a book
Many of us can remember learning how to press flowers in a book during childhood. But if you missed out when you were younger, it's never too late to learn a new skill, plus it's super-simple!
Start by choosing a big, heavy book – the heavier the better. Certain flowers may stain your pages, so it's best not to use a precious book (check out charity shops or thrift stores if you don't want to risk damaging your own books).
Get some absorbent paper (kitchen roll, JCloth, newspaper or blotting paper are good choices) and lay your flowers out on the paper, between the pages of the book.
Weigh the book down with additional books, then place it in a warm place for around one to two weeks.
If you're working with juicy flowers, you might like to change the paper halfway through, but be aware that your flora may become sticky during the process, so it easy to accidentally pull them apart - just go careful and you'll be fine.
How to press flowers under a rug
If you don't have a heavy book to hand - pressing flowers under a rug is the next best thing.
Choose a rug that is not prone to slipping around and sandwich your plant material between absorbent paper such as kitchen roll, JCloth, newspaper or blotting paper.
Add an additional layer of paper on either side, flip back your biggest, heaviest rug, and put your flowers underneath.
Your flowers should be pressed in around one to two weeks, or longer if they are juicier.
Using heat
The presence of heat can help to speed up the drying process - and the quicker your flowers dry, the more vibrant the colours will be.
Put your flower press in a boiler room or airing cupboard if you have one, or next to a radiator as this will provide a nice flow of warm air.
If that's not possible (or - if it's summer and you can't quite bring yourself to put the heating on), warm up the paper first, before pressing your specimens, as this will also help to remove the moisture from the flowers.
How to press large flowers
If you're wanting to press large, bulky or juicer flowers - then you'll need to do a spot of prep work first.
Flowers such as larger roses or peonies will need to be taken apart before pressing - and then pressed petal by petal.
Once pressed, you can reassemble the flower. It's a bit fiddly, but with a little practice, you'll get used to it (and learn about the structure of flowers).
Other bulky flowers can be cut through the middle using a pair of scissors - and as a bonus, you'll get two-for-one!
How to press flowers using a flower press
You will need
- Flowers
- Flower press
- Absorbant paper or JCloth
