The rose is the world’s loveliest and most popular flower with an aroma that brings back memories of romance and crisp spring days. And the moment of receiving a special bunch on your birthday, wedding day or celebration doesn’t need to end with throwing them in the trash.
Drying roses and creating your set of forever roses is a beautiful way to hold onto their sentimental value and create a keepsake you can admire forever. So, let’s take a look at the most to least common ways to keep your roses forever.
Air drying the rose
The most common way of drying roses is the air drying method. It’s arguably the most simple way to keep them looking beautiful for years to come.
The first step to keeping your roses forever is to choose a favorite to dry. It’s important to start the process before the flower starts to wither. You can tell which flower is ready by the dryness of the stem. If the stems are too wet, it’s not a good candidate for drying and you’re best to throw it away and choose another. Let’s take a quick look at how to do this.
Trim the rose
The next step is to trim the stem and remove its leaves. There’s too much moisture in the leaves so they don’t dry well.
Hang it upside down
The final step to the process in keeping your flowers forever is to hang them upside down to dry. We suggest taping them to a wall in a cool, dark space to preserve the color. If you prefer a slightly darker dried rose color, hang them at a window exposed to the sun as it helps dry the rose faster. After leaving it for a week you’ll notice the flower looks brown-ish and sounds like potato crisps that could crack at any time.
You can see why this simple process is one of the most familiar and loved ways to dry your roses.
Spray the rose with hairspray
Using hairspray to keep the rose in mint condition is a less common method in preserving the flower. Using a can of ordinary hairspray, you simply work your way around the rose covering the petals, stem and leaves with the liquid. The hairspray holds the petals firm and prevents them from falling off while hung upside down.
Use desiccant to dry the roses
A more uncommon way of drying roses is by using desiccant. According to Wiki:
Desiccant is a sandy-textured product which absorbs moisture from the rose encouraging it to dry quickly and evenly
The whole process is a little more complex than simply leaving the roses upside down to dry. You’ll need to cut the rose stem quite short, place them into an airtight container and ensure they’re far enough apart to complete the drying process. The drying time frame tends to take an extra week compared to the simple air dry method.
Preserve roses in Glycerin
There are many other uncommon ways to preserve roses including using glycerin to soak the flower in. It helps the rose appear fresh forever by exchanging the water in the flower with glycerine.
Freeze dry your flowers
If you’re really serious about preserving the way you flowers appear you can’t go past freeze drying. While it’s not a DIY process, you can rest in the knowledge that the professionals have taken care of the steps and will provide you with a lasting keepsake.
Dry your roses in sand
Covering your roses with sand is a less common way to preserve your flowers. However, it’s very effective as the sand dries out the flower and you can simply shake off the grains when you’re done. This may be a fun activity to try with your children as it gets their hands dirty, however, we think you can’t go past watching the rose transform as it’s hung out to dry.
Dry our sustainable roses
Drying roses is a relaxing and beautiful process that keeps the memory of your special occasion alive. As well it brings a romantic and precious touch to your space. You can make a dried flower bouquet for your desk or simply hang the rose on a piece of string to your wall. It’ll look so beautiful and be a keepsake forever. Why not try this with the next bunch of roses you’re given as a gift, or that you buy yourself!
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