The 13 Best Flowers for Pressing

There may be an attention-grabbing historic and creative custom behind pressed flowers. For hundreds of years, botanists have used pressed specimens in documenting and recording species. Within the Victorian period, this was a favourite creative pastime. Folks used pressed flowers to brighten letters and journals, in addition to to create paintings with them. 

Fashionable artists use the identical strategies to protect flowers and use them to create a variety of paintings. From jewellery to framed artwork, pressed flowers create an exquisite bridge between creativity and nature. My private favourite use for them is adorning cookies. They add a particular and private contact. 

Maybe the most effective factor about urgent flowers is that it permits us to seize one thing fleeting. We will maintain onto that magnificence and create one thing lasting and private from the backyard. It’s additionally a beautiful approach to keep in mind a present of flowers on a special day. 

You’ll be able to press most flowers, however some merely work higher than others. As an example, a rose is beautiful in its full type, however makes a fairly lumpy pressed flower. Flowers which might be flat or collapse extra simply are inclined to prove nicer. Listed below are a number of the greatest flowers for urgent.

Pansies

Pansies are on the high of my listing of the most effective flowers for urgent. They’ve a mushy type that opens flat, making them flatten out properly. The colours are great (most are bicolor), they usually are available in shades of pink, yellow, purple, black, blue, pink, and orange. 

While you press pansies, they keep numerous shade, which is a crucial function. They’re not as delicate as numerous flowers after urgent, which makes them straightforward to deal with. When urgent, I desire to make use of unbleached parchment paper. The blooms don’t stick, so it’s simpler to work with them with out tearing them.

Cosmos

Cosmos are so delicate and delightful. Their papery-thin petals make them among the finest flowers for urgent. Some varieties maintain their shade exceptionally nicely, notably the orange and pink ones. The raised middle could make this one difficult to press, so ensure you wait till they’re totally open to choose them. 

As a result of cosmos are short-lived, their particular person magnificence is fleeting. Preserving them by urgent is a superb approach to seize that magnificence. As soon as dry, these are delicate, so deal with them with care. At all times retailer your flowers in a cool, darkish spot till you’re prepared to make use of them.

Coreopsis

Coreopsis flowers, usually known as tickseed, are among the finest for urgent. They maintain their vivid, sunny colours excellently. In vivid yellow, orange, and pink, these are a number of the loveliest little wildflowers within the backyard. I all the time discover it fulfilling to seize a little bit of the summer time backyard to be used in winter tasks. 

Ensure that to choose the most effective, most totally opened flowers which might be dry and haven’t any insect injury. Keep away from utilizing older blooms as they’re extra delicate and lose petals simply. Flatten the middle by urgent it along with your fingers earlier than putting it between sheets of parchment and tucking them into the pages of a heavy guide.

Queen Anne’s Lace

Queen Anne’s lace is a favourite flower for urgent, and in my view, among the finest. The intricate flower heads are short-lived as soon as you narrow them, so it’s pure to protect them by urgent. You’ll be able to seize that lacey loveliness for a lot longer this fashion.

I get pleasure from the best way these look if you flatten them out. They appear like tiny fireworks or starbursts. Their umbels have a special visible texture that makes them distinction nicely with different, extra rounded blooms. They take about two to a few weeks to dry.

Geraniums

Geraniums are daring and among the finest blooms for urgent, particularly if you need edible flowers. They’ve a candy taste and scent that works nicely on baked items. Their daring colours and engaging, symmetrical form make them beautiful, and their velvety petals arise nicely to drying. 

Anticipate flowers to open earlier than chopping them. Take away as a lot of the stem as attainable with out the flower falling aside. When dry, after two to a few weeks, geraniums are crisp and colourful. They preserve their wealthy colours nicely and are in style for creating paintings with. 

Zinnias

Zinnias are one among my all-around favourite flowers to develop. They’re so easy-going and colourful, and an incredible addition to the pollinator backyard. They’re additionally among the finest blooms for urgent. The one-petaled varieties and smaller blooms press the most effective, as bigger, double-petaled varieties are exhausting to flatten. 

Zinnias retain their shade nicely, one other nice high quality for any such mission. Select open, flat flowers for the most effective end result if you need complete blooms. In case you work with bigger or double-petaled varieties, break them down and press solely the petals, as the middle shall be too thick. 

Daisies

Candy and easy, daisies are wonderful for urgent to protect their harmless magnificence. Their flat construction and single ring of ray petals make these straightforward to work with, as they flatten out evenly. This creates a symmetrical bloom that’s great to be used in crafts. 

At all times select the most effective dry blooms. You need them to be totally open, however not growing older to the purpose that the petals are free. Wait till the dew dries within the morning to chop your flowers, in order that they don’t get the paper moist and take an excessively very long time to dry. 

Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas aren’t one of many best, however in terms of the completed product, they’re among the finest for urgent. It requires care and persistence to make these work as a result of their blooms are made up of many small florets. Each is delicate and desires gentle dealing with, however as soon as pressed, they’re beautiful. 

Decide mature flowers, however be certain to not allow them to go too lengthy. You need them to be contemporary, as this fashion they’re extra pliable. They maintain their shade nicely in the event you enable it to develop utterly on the plant. Their clustered flowers add depth when paired with different dried blooms.

Buttercups

Buttercups are delicate, in order that they’re not the best, however when it comes to their magnificence, they’re among the many greatest flowers for urgent. The difficult half is working with their waxy petals and stopping them from sticking to your paper. Bruising them will result in turning brown, so it’s necessary to deal with them gently. 

Select freshly opened blooms which might be dry and unblemished. Buttercups are cup-shaped. To get probably the most symmetrical, flat flowers, flatten them along with your fingers earlier than you press them. Use an absorbent paper for these, and they’re going to dry higher. Espresso filters work nicely. 

Lavender

Lavender flowers not solely retain their shade nicely, but in addition their perfume, so they’re among the finest for urgent. The slender stems and small blossoms or buds flatten simply. They’ve a country, pastoral allure and are great to be used in crafts, in addition to to brighten baked items. 

I really like lavender in all its types. The scent is likely one of the hottest and recognizable on the earth. You’ll be able to choose them earlier than or after the blossoms open, relying on the look you need. They are going to work each methods. Simply remember to choose them when they’re dry. 

Overlook-Me-Nots

Overlook-me-nots could also be one of many best possible flowers for urgent. Their skinny, delicate petals dry rapidly, so they keep numerous their shade. Additionally they have a stunning type with small clusters of dainty blossoms. Their true blue petals with a pop of yellow within the middle make a placing composition. 

When it comes to symbolism, these are great for creating paintings and presents. They characterize lasting friendship and remembrance. Select totally opened flowers which might be nonetheless contemporary. You’ll be able to press particular person flowers or sprigs for a extra pure look. 

Cornflowers

Cornflowers, additionally known as bachelor’s buttons, are great for retaining their shade after they dry. This boosts their rank among the many greatest flowers for urgent. They’ve hardy, daisy-like blooms with barely thicker petals than some, in order that they want extra time and stress to press and dry them correctly. 

Select totally opened flowers which might be dry and freed from blemishes. Youthful flowers will maintain their shade higher than older ones. Lay them face down and canopy, then press down along with your fingers to flatten them properly. Ggive them that additional time and stress, and also you’ll have beautiful outcomes. 

Calendula

Calendula flowers are great for urgent due to how nicely they keep their shade when dried. These vivid yellow and orange blooms appear simply as vivid dried as they have been contemporary. These are edible, in order that they’re good to be used on baked items and as garnish.