How to Create the Perfect Pressed flowers
With 30+ years experience of pressing flowers and leaves, over time I have learnt which flowers are the best for pressing. In this guide I will include the flowers I use for pressing and tips on how to preserve the beauty in each flower.
True art is in the flora 💐
1) Forget-Me-Nots
2) Fuchsias
3) Violas
4) Lady’s Mantle
5) Daisies
6) Astrantia
7) Acer Leaves
8) May Blossom
9) Verbena
10) Ivy
11) Roses
12) Thalictrum Leaves
13) Lobelia
14) Artemisia
15) Cotinus Leaves
16) Hydrangeas
Traditional Flower Pressing - Preparation.
To start you will need a wooden press or a book for smaller projects, newspaper or blotting paper, toilet roll and scissors.
When picking your flowers or leaves ready for pressing it is always best to do so on a sunny day when the flowers are dry as any excess water will cause the flowers to turn brown during the pressing process.
I always prefer to use newspaper for pressing as we press in bulk we need a lot of it and its a great way to recycle old newspapers and catch up on old news! Many people use blotting paper which works just as well.
You will need to apply a few sheets of paper to your press and cover with a strip of toilet paper. I always use paper without any patterns as this will transfer to the flowers. Apply your flowers to the paper face down, this helps flatten the petals and you can make sure there aren’t any petals folded over. Try to ensure you press flowers of the same thickness together. Cut off any stems if you wish. Then, add another layer of toilet paper to make sure all flowers are covered. Finally add around 4 sheets of newspaper/blotting paper so when you run your hand over you can’t feel the flowers. Repeat this process until the press is full or you’ve used all of your flowers.
Seal your press and turn the screws as tightly as you can. Tighten the screws every few days as this will help to dry out the flowers more quickly, helping to preserve as much colour as possible by removing the moisture.
This process usually takes 2 weeks depending on the thickness of the flower. After a couple of weeks open your press and gently touch the flower to make sure it is dry. It should feel warm to the touch. Be very careful removing your flowers as they are fragile they might tear.
Always store pressed flowers out of direct sunlight as this will prevent them from fading.
Forget-Me-Nots
We press the tiny blue forget-me-nots individually and on stems during the springtime when they pop up everywhere.
Fuchsias
Although there are many lovely varieties to choose from we grow these dainty bush fuchsias as they are more suitable for pressing.
Violas
We overwinter violas in the greenhouse ready to pick when the weather improves… so many pretty faces to choose from.
Lady’s Mantle
These summer flowering clusters of tiny green star like flowers are a staple in many of our designs the official name Alchemilla Mollis.
Daisies
The common garden daisy needs to be pressed quite quickly after picking, its petals will often turn pink as it starts to close up.
Astrantia
Star like astrantia a summer flowering cottage garden perennial we use in many of our designs.
Acer Leaves
Pressed during the autumn when the leaves turn from green to shades of gold and red.
May Blossom
We press them in spring time as the name implies when they are prolific in the hedgerows. Later in the year the hawthorn is covered in berries loved by the birds.
Verbena
During the summer we press a selection of annual verbena with colours ranging from reds to peach and purple.
Ivy
We collect ivy through the year for pressing using it in our real holly and ivy Christmas Cards.
Roses
These single summer roses are ideal for pressing they are picked as soon as they are fully open and displaying their pollen filled stamens, loved by the bees too.
Thalictrum Leaves
The foliage we use in most of our real flower designs also included in many of our pressed flower prints too.
Lobelia
Lobelia easy to press and a lovely addition to hanging baskets and tubs during the summer.
Artemisia
This artemisia is called Powys Castle with its silvery leaves and faint aroma.
Cotinus
Also known as smoke bush, the leaves are beautiful in the autumn with bold markings making it one of our unusual botanicals.
Hydrangeas
A popular addition to many English Gardens and beautiful in the summer though we also press them in the autumn when the flowers slowly change colour before the winter frosts turn them brown.
Here are some of the products I have made recently. Pressed flowers are also very popular for card making, cake decorating, photography props, resin designs and so much more.
Happy pressing!