How to Dry Flowers at Home: Our Top 5 Tips

Drying flowers at home is a gentle way to hold on to special moments and bring a touch of lasting nature indoors. Maybe it’s a bouquet from a celebration or a few garden stems too lovely to let go. With a little care, those fleeting blooms can become timeless decorations.

We’ll show you a few simple ways to dry your flowers, suggest which ones work best, and explore preserved or artificial options that stay beautiful even longer.

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Why Dry Flowers?

Dried flowers are everywhere right now. They’re sustainable, low-maintenance, and built to last, ideal for interiors, weddings, and floral designs that need to stay beautiful over time. They offer a quiet elegance and character that fresh flowers often lose within days.

From soft neutrals to bold, sculptural stems, dried flowers give you more creative freedom with far less upkeep.

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How to Dry Flowers at Home: 5 Steps

Not sure where to start on your flower drying journey? Here are our top five tips on how to dry out flowers with a selection of different techniques, from traditional to time-saving.

Plus, we’ll share our tried-and-tested tricks on how to preserve them for longer after you’ve finished drying them.

1. Air Drying (The Classic Method)

Perfect for: Roses, Statice, Lavender, Gypsophila

Steps:

• Strip off leaves, making sure not to hurt yourself on any thorns or other bits of foliage.
• Snip off any extra branches, especially if you have harvested the blooms from your garden.
• Bundle the flowers in small bunches of 3–4 stems so they are not overcrowded.
• Tie each bundle with twine and hang upside down in a dry, dark place.
• Leave the bundles for 2–4 weeks without checking too often.
• Remove any stems that show mould or rot and inspect the surrounding blooms.

This method is the most natural way to dry flowers, ideal for those who want a rustic, romantic finish.

However, it can take a very long time, especially in a colder climate. To ensure an optimal environment for drying out flowers, you have to keep the room very dry and quite warm.

It’s ideal to keep them out of the sun, even after drying, as direct sunlight can bleach the flowers and make them go pale and wan in colour.

2. Pressing (For Flat Projects & Crafts)

Perfect for: Pansies, Cosmos, Daisies

Steps:

• Place flowers between parchment or blotting paper.
• Press them in a heavy book or a flower press.
• Leave them for 2–3 weeks to fully flatten and dry.

Pressing is one way to dry flowers, but it creates a very different look compared to other methods.

Pressed flowers are completely flat, making them ideal for cards, framed artwork, or decorative touches on place settings.

If you’re deciding which approach suits your project, this guide on pressed and dried flowers breaks down the key differences.

3. Using Silica Gel (For Vibrant Colour)

Perfect for: Peonies, Tulips, Delphinium

Steps:

• Pour a layer of silica gel into a container.
• Gently nestle flowers face-up and cover them fully with gel.
• Seal the container and leave it for 1–2 weeks.
• Brush off excess gel with care once drying is complete.

Using silica gel to dry flowers is ideal for achieving vibrant, fresh-looking results. However, it’s also the trickiest to do at home, as any trapped air can cause wilting, mould, or rot.

When this method works, nothing beats how it preserves the clarity and colour of your flowers.

4. Microwave Drying (Fastest Option)

Perfect for: Single Stems, Smaller Projects

Steps:

• Sandwich flowers between paper towels and microwave-safe plates.
• Microwave in 30-second bursts for a total of 1–3 minutes.
• Let the flowers cool completely before handling.

Microwave drying is the fastest way to dry flowers at home. It’s great for last-minute projects or delicate stems. The microwave method can preserve colour well with careful timing, but there’s a higher risk of burning or brittleness if the flowers overheat.

It’s worth noting that thicker blooms don’t respond well to this method. However, with the right touch, it’s a quick and efficient way to dry smaller flowers in minutes.

5. Oven Drying (Controlled & Quick)

Perfect for: Foliage, Robust Blooms

Steps:

• Set your oven to the lowest setting (80–90 °C).
• Place flowers on parchment-lined trays.
• Keep the oven door slightly open to release moisture.
• Dry for 1–2 hours, checking regularly.

Oven drying strikes a good balance between other flower-drying methods. It’s faster than air drying and more controlled than the microwave. It’s well-suited to sturdy flowers and foliage, and works efficiently when drying multiple stems at once.

Colours may soften slightly, but the shape and structure usually hold up well. With a bit of supervision, it’s a reliable method that doesn’t require any specialist equipment.

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Top Tips for Drying Flowers Successfully

Keep Them Out of Direct Light

Sunlight and UV exposure can quickly fade colour. Always dry flowers in a dark, well-ventilated space to help preserve their natural tones.

Avoid Humidity

Moisture in the air encourages mould. Choose a dry spot and ensure good airflow to keep flowers crisp and clean.

Seal With Care

A light mist of hairspray or floral sealant can help reinforce delicate petals and reduce flaking once dried.

Label and Store Thoughtfully

Once dried, label your stems and store them somewhere cool and dry—preferably wrapped in tissue or kraft paper to avoid crushing or colour loss.

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Best Flowers to Dry

When drying flowers for the first time, it helps to start with varieties that hold their shape and colour well. These are some of the easiest and most rewarding blooms to work with:

Statice

One of the best flowers for drying. Statice keeps its vibrant colour and shape with minimal shrinkage, thanks to its naturally papery texture.

Gypsophila (Baby’s Breath)

Gypsophila is a delicate bloom that dries beautifully. Its fine stems and airy clusters hold their soft, cloud-like shape, making it a perfect filler in dried bouquets and displays.

Strawflower

With petals that feel dry even when fresh, strawflowers keep their structure and colour especially well. Their texture makes them a standout in both fresh and dried arrangements.

Roses

Roses dry best when air-dried carefully. Petals may deepen in colour, but their layered shape creates a vintage, romantic look that lasts.

Lavender

Lavender keeps both its shape and scent after drying. Its slim stems and relaxing aroma make it ideal for sachets, wreaths, and rustic floral styling.

Want something ready-made? Explore our Dried Flowers for beautifully preserved stems that are ready to style or use in craft.

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Creative Ways to Use Dried Flowers

Once your flowers are dried, there’s plenty you can do with them. These blooms make beautiful keepsakes and offer loads of styling possibilities for your home, special events, or creative projects.

Start simple with a hand-tied bouquet. You can create a perfect bouquet for a wedding, birthday, or just to show someone a little appreciation.

Around the house, dried flowers bring natural texture and soft, lasting colour to mantels, shelves, and tables. If you’re unsure how to show them off, our guide on how to display dried flowers covers ideas like styling stems in vases, creating wall hangings, or using sprays of dried foliage.

To develop your skills further, take a look at our expert floristry tips for dried flowers. You’ll find practical advice to help you get more from every stem, through arranging, styling, or simply appreciating what you’ve made.

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Alternatives to Dried Flowers: What Lasts Longer?

Drying flowers at home is a rewarding process, but some situations call for something even longer-lasting, or a finish that feels closer to fresh-cut. If you’re unsure what to choose, start with our guide on the differences between dried and preserved flowers.

Preserved Flowers

Preserved flowers are real blooms treated with a natural solution that locks in softness and colour for a year or more. They’re a popular choice for interiors and events where a fresh look needs to last.

• They retain their shape, flexibility, and natural texture.
• They are ideal for weddings, interiors, and styling projects.
• No wilting, no watering, no fuss.

Artificial Flowers

Artificial flowers require no maintenance at all and work especially well in commercial or high-traffic spaces. To keep them looking as realistic as possible, take a look at our tips on how to make faux plants look real.

• They are built for long-term use.
• They work great for hospitality, retail, and display design.
• They are available in realistic, design-led finishes.

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Ready to Start Drying Flowers at Home?

You’ve got everything you need to begin turning fresh blooms into lasting arrangements. Drying flowers at home is a simple way to preserve beauty, reduce waste, and bring a natural touch to your space or creative work.

For long-lasting florals that are ready to use, explore our full collection of Dried, Preserved, and Artificial Flowers, each selected for quality, longevity, and style.