Dehydrated flowers provide lasting holiday memories
You don't even need to visit a florist to get started, just forage close to home
Dehydrated or dried flowers have become increasingly popular in home decor over the past few years, says Vancouver interior designer Gaile Guevara of Gaile Guevara Studio. They appeal to people for a few reasons, she says, lasting a lot longer than fresh flowers (months instead of weeks), so they are less wasteful and more budget friendly.
“The floral industry is one that hasn't been sustainable for a long time. It uses tons of water. Flowers are shipped all over the world, and then they're discarded,” she says.
People can forage in their backyards or neighbourhoods for dehydrated floral options because what they're seeking is easily found, fallen branches, leaves, and berries, says Guevara.
There is a sculptural element to dehydrated bouquets and arrangements that appeals to minimalists and those with artistic leanings.
“In Spain, there are a lot of very high-end florists who do huge dehydrated floral art installations. You go into these shops, and they're just incredible,” she says, adding that dehydrated flowers are popular in Scandinavia and Japan, too.
“With older cultures, there's this legacy of craft, and I love that. When it comes to design, it's all about thinking of the essence of something. It's about something being simple and long-lasting,” explains Guevara.
With older cultures, there's this legacy of craft, and I love that. It's about something being simple and long-lasting.
The holiday season provides the perfect opportunity to forage for your own dried flowers and foliage or support small local retailers trying to survive.
“You can easily support a local vendor this year, choosing something that's more hardy. A branch vs. a carnation,” she continues. “Choosing leaves instead of roses. Branches and leaves last a lot longer than flowers. If you trim their leaves and replace water weekly, they can last months.”
If Guevara could wish for two things this holiday season, she says it would be that people would support local vendors who are struggling and do one act of kindness for a neighbour or friend who is on their own this year. It could be as simple as a single flower stem with a ribbon. She says her nephew offered to clean up the garden of an elderly neighbour who lives alone and created a dried arrangement from the garden clippings as a gift.
Florist Jehna Chrysler of Vancouver's Hilary Miles Flowers says she's not a huge fan of dried flowers, mainly because they lack colour.
Dried flowers mostly come in shades of brown, beige, white or dusty rose, she says, whereas fresh flowers come in so many varying shades, and it's these small nuances that make people so happy.
Chrysler says dried flowers are trending “so hard” right now. She had a client who told her it was challenging to find a florist this season who is making Christmas wreaths from fresh winter greens, as many are opting for dried foliage instead.
She does agree, though, that dehydrated arrangements last a lot longer. As dried items don't go bad, floral retailers aren't risking financial loss from flowers perishing if not purchased within a week.
An idea worth considering is mixing fresh flowers in with your dried arrangement to enjoy the best of both worlds, says Chrysler.