Dried flowers and dried lavender shop Est. 2002
Advice on dried flower care
How to look after your dried flowers
In this article you will find help with caring for your dried flowers from delivery to display and aftercare. We start with the care of a bunch, but scroll down for help with confetti storage, dried lavender and pressed flowers.
Care of a dried flower bunch
Our dry flower bunch range including stems, twigs, dried grasses, seed heads, foliage and exotics are all sent out carefully boxed. We use paper packaging for protection within the box during transit.
Unpacking your bunch delivery
Your flowers should reach you in good condition. It's normal for one or two pieces to come loose in transit. As it's a natural product, not every single stem will be perfect, but if you do have any concerns about the quality of your delivery, do contact us straightaway!
Do remove the bunch fully from the packaging and check under the box flaps and inside the packing paper because any small items we may have included in your parcel may be lurking undetected!
Storage of dry blooms
If you wish to store your dry bunch before use, for example before a wedding or in advance of a birthday, just put it carefully back in the box it came in and tape it up. Taping it up will prevent any creepy crawlies getting in there!
The sealed box can be then stored out of direct sunlight and extremes in temperature for a few weeks. The flowers may well last a good deal longer than that, but sometimes the colour may change slightly on storage, or if your conditions aren't ideal, deterioration may set in. If you've got a date in mind that's more than a few weeks ahead, we recommend getting in touch and we can send the stems out nearer the time.
Displaying your blooms
Maybe you bought the stems for a craft or floristry project, or have a particular vase in mind, in which case read no further! But if you're not sure how to display your flowers, here are some tips:
- Cut down the stems as much as you like - most of ours are sent out at 50 to 60 cm long but you don't need anywhere near that much stem for most displays.
- Cut the stems to slightly different lengths to make for a fuller looking display.
- If making a mixed bouquet, mix and match the flowers by taking one stem at a time in one hand and adding to it until you like the arrangement. You can then put a rubber band round it quickly to hold everything in place while you get the vase or ribbon ready.
- Dried grasses like the wheat in the picture and Billy buttons like a narrow necked vase or bottle.
- If you have made a large bunch, you can twist the bundle so the stems are diagonal for a sheaf effect which should stand up independently without any need for a vase! Lavender and wheat are particularly good for this.
- Avoid displaying dried blooms in damp areas such as bathrooms as they may become limp or mouldy.
Aftercare of your flowers
Once displayed, dried flowers should give you months, and possibly years, of pleasure. Here are some tips for keeping them looking at their best:
- Display the blooms where they won't be knocked as they can be delicate, and don't fiddle with them!
- Dust occasionally by blowing with cool air from a hair dryer.
- Every few months dismantle the display and lay it out on a clean cloth before discarding any pieces that are past their best and re-arranging.
- If you notice some of your flowers have become a bit limp-looking, this can be caused by damp in the air. This is sometimes evident in bathrooms, and some stems are more sensitive to damp than others. Helichrysum in particular has a heavy head on a delicate stem. But this can be remedied by hanging the bunch upside down for a day or two above a radiator.
Wedding confetti petals care advice
Unpacking your confetti delivery
Your confetti delivery will come boxed unless you have chosen dried lavender wedding confetti only - more on that further down the page. The box will contain some paper packaging and little paper confetti sachets if you've bought handful size packs, or for larger orders the confetti will be in biodegradable plastic or compostable cellophane packaging. Do have a good look under the box flaps and inside the paper packaging in case you miss any small items lurking within!
We hope you're 100% happy with your order once you've fully unpacked it - if there's anything you're not sure about, do get in touch.
Storage of confetti before the big day
We recommend you receive your real flower petal confetti not more than six weeks before it's needed. This is because some petals may change slightly over time and we want them to be at their best for the big day. If you would like to order earlier than that, just let us know and we'll send it out in good time for the wedding.
Once you've received your confetti and checked it, store it sealed in the packaging it came in, out of direct sunlight and away from extremes in temperature.
Displaying your confetti
If you have bought bulk flower petal confetti:
- Confetti can be displayed on the day in wicker baskets, shallow trays or in a confetti cones.
- Confetti cones usually hold a few handfuls and can be shared one per couple.
- If you're planning to use cones, remember that they won't stand up, so you may need a stand or basket to hold them up. Small paper sachets can overcome this problem.
- Flower girls often like to have a mini basket of petals to distribute down the aisle.
Confetti after the event
- Flower confetti petals are fully biodegradable so if they've been thrown outside the venue, they should melt away after a day or two.
- If you have any left over, why not save some as a keepsake? Store it sealed in a decorative box.
- Add a sprinkle of confetti to thank you letters.
Dried lavender care advice
- We stock dried lavender grains year-round, so there is no need to buy your lavender a long time before you need it. If you'd like to order early, just let us know so we can send it out nearer the time of your project.
- Our dried lavender grains are supplied in biodegradable plastic packaging which can be used to store it for a few weeks while you are using it. If you plan to keep it for longer than this, we recommend moving it to a non-biodegradable container.
- The lavender can be stored out of direct sunlight and away from extremes in temperature in a sealed container until needed.
- If you have kept the lavender a long time and think the fragrant buds may have lost some of their fragrance, take a handful and give it a sharp squeeze. This will release a new dose of essential oils and refresh the fragrance.
- If your lavender really is past its best, it can be refreshed by adding a few drops of natural lavender essential oil. But do take care to avoid contact of the oil with synthetic, painted or polished surfaces, and test before using the enhanced lavender with textiles in case it marks the fabric.
Pressed flower care advice
We supply pressed flowers in little flat film-fronted paper bags packed flat.
- The flowers can be stored in their packaging until they're needed, out of direct sunlight and away from extremes in temperature.
- Pressed flowers are delicate so do handle with care when unpacking and keep them flat.
- Handle with plastic tweezers wherever possible, or at least with clean hands. The natural oils from your fingers may mark the flowers over time.
- If you need to hold a pressed flower in place for a craft project, PVA glue is a good, inexpensive adhesive which dries clear.
More help with caring for your dried flowers delivery
There are lots of help pages on this site so do have a click around! But if you have any questions you're always welcome to contact us!
If you're looking for craft or floristry tips, do visit Ruth's blog driedflowercraft.co.uk.
Our Help & Info page has lots of links which may be of use, and here are a few that are the most relevant to this current page:
More about our dried lavender grains