The Flower Guide
When it comes to pressing, not all flowers are created equal. With all the time, care and effort that goes into planning your event flowers, you want to be sure that you get the best result when preserving them. Please read through the below carefully to ensure that our service is going to be right for you. We are happy to work directly with your florist, if needed, and you can also visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.
White Flowers
White flowers are notoriously tricky to work with as they have an higher chance of turning brown in the press. Successfully pressed white flowers will come out a pale beige/cream colour. We are happy to work with all-white bouquets, but recommend pairing with a mixture of foliage to create the variety needed for a beautiful outcome.
Flowers that press well
Generally, flowers with fewer petal layers and/or flat heads will press well. Some examples of easily pressed varieties are: cosmos, Queen Anne’s lace, ferns, eucalyptus, nigella, orlaya grandiflora, astrantia, dasies, wax flowers, gypsophelia, spray roses, hydrangeas, perovskia, cornflowers, poppies, cow parsley, astilbes, forget me nots, hypercium, larkspur, crocosmia, freesias, pampas grass, violas, snowdrops, and cyclamen. And more!
Flowers that don't press well
Thick or fleshy flowers such as lillies, sunflowers, succulents, thistles, ornamental cabbages and tropical flowers don’t often press well. Also, these flowers are usually too thick to work with the Sprig & Press framing style. Flowers with many petals are trickier to press, but can be deconstructed and recreated once dry. These varieties include larger roses, carnations, peonies, tulips, dahlias and chrysanthemums, among others.
Shape & Variety
The best pressed flower artwork often includes a variety of shapes, sizes, textures, and colours/tones. Please bear this in mind if you’re looking to press your bouquet but are planning on a choosing just one or two flower types.
Colour Changes
You should expect the flowers in your finished frame to develop over time. They are a product of nature after all! Reds and evergreens often deepen, whites turn beige and have a more vintage feel. Blues can hold their colour for many years whilst other colours can turn pastel shades and fade.
Storing in Water
Fresher is always better when pressing flowers. No matter which varieties you finally choose, they should be kept in water as much as possible when not in use. This will significantly improve the outcome of your pressed flower frame.