Dried Flowers.

There’s no denying that like Dahlias, they are back ‘in’! And with their long display life and eco-credentials when preserved without chemicals, it’s not hard to see why.

Look after them well, displaying in a dry environment and out of direct sunlight, and even the richest of colours will be yours for the keeping.

Lots of the dried materials I use have been grown in the greenery garden, but as with fresh flowers, I buy from other British growers and Flowers from the Farm members to supplement my quantities and varieties and bring you exiting combinations.

Dried flowers extend the floral possibilities of the UK growing season, which with the exception of glasshouses and polytunnels is usually only April to October. By preserving summer’s bounty, through natural air-drying only, I can use beautiful colours and textures on their own or combined with foliage to create designs for weddings and funerals, and indoor decorations such as wreaths and arrangements.

While I love mixing dried and fresh material, especially in the winter months, reintroducing water to dehydrated materials means care must be taken if you wish to keep the dried elements beyond the vase life of the rest. Removing water content from stems and flowerheads reduces blooms to a lesser volume than their fresh state, but while a dried bouquet may lack the size impact of a fresh equivalent, they are delicately papery, ethereal and bring many, many more weeks of enjoyment.

With so many stunning options for truly natural tributes, gifts and permanent floral works of art there really is something for every taste. There are lots of examples of this page, but infinitely more possibilities to design something tailored to your space or occasion. If you’d like to discuss a commission, please do get in touch with me: kate@greeneryflowers.co.uk.