Drying Flowers to Put in a Shadow Box

Q: Can you tell me how to go about drying flowers to put in a shadow box? I'd like to do my own design work but I don't know how to dry the flowers.



A: We can dry them for you. If you'd like to send us your flowers, we'll freeze dry them and return them to you. Freeze drying is, by far, the best way to preserve flowers intact. It's a lengthy process but the results are worth the wait. I know there are some silica products on the market. From what I've heard, the results are inconsistent. Why take a chance? You could also use the old fashioned air drying method. Your flowers will shrink and the colors will change. They will also be very fragile and difficult to work with. Also, not all flowers can be air dried. Many will just shrivel up and become very unattractive.

Freeze Dry vs. Pressed

Q: What is the difference between freeze dried flowers and pressed flowers?

A: Freeze dried flowers are processed to remove the moisture while maintaining the shape and color of the flower. When they're finished they look like fresh flowers. Pressed flowers are, as they name implies, pressed. In most cases the petals are removed and pressed individually. This is because the moisture content in a whole, intact, flower would cause mildew to form before the flowers were completely dry. This would ruin the flower.

Both processes produce beautiful results. They are just different. Pressed floral pieces are framed in a flat frame...like a regular picture frame. Freeze dried flowers require more space, so when framed, they need to go in a shadow box frame or an oval with a dome.

Freeze Dried Flower Arrangements

Q: Do you make arrangements out of freeze dried flowers? What's the process? Can they be shipped?

A: You can pretty much do anything with freeze dried flowers that you can do with fresh. The difference is...they last longer. Unprotected freeze dried flowers, ie. those not contained in something like a shadow box of glass bowl, will not last as long as those protected by a container of some kind. They will eventually get soiled and there really isn't any good way to clean them. Also, they are very fragile. If you don't want to put your flowers in a shadow box, we suggest you consider a glass bowl. They are beautiful and will protect your flowers for many years. If you insis, however, we will make you an arrangement. They are too fragile to be shipped and you will need to pick them up.