Everlasting JOY

Dried flowers are back in fashion! Here are some stylish and sustainable ways to enjoy your favourite blooms all year round

BROWN PAPER PARCELS

Just add string and a miniature wreath or posy for giftwrap that’s a present in itself. Form a small circle from wire or a sturdy pliable stem such as willow, and attach the dried stems to it using florist’s tape or twine, building up the coverage as you move in one direction. Alternatively, gather together a mixed posy of flowers and seedpods placed at varying heights and secure the bunch with string or ribbon. You could also use this method to tailor-make buttonholes for a wedding.

TABLE DRESSING

A few shapely grass stems tied to a napkin with ribbon makes a charming table decoration. Try short dried strands of oats, reed grasses, barley, bentgrass, hair grass (wavy and tufted) or hare’s-tail grass. The natural tones blend well with napkins in pastel shades such as chalky pink or soft lavender.

UNDER THE CLOCHE

Displayed in a bell jar to protect the delicate stems, this arrangement is inspired by the relaxed planting of a wild meadow. Roll out a piece of white air-dry clay (available from hobbycraft.co.uk) to make a thick base that’s weighty and stays flat. Press the ends of the stems into the clay, fitting them to the dimensions of the glass cloche. Use wire to strengthen the stems if needed. Leave the clay to harden.

BUNCHED UP

For a vintage effect, combine faded pinks, harvest yellows, white and neutral shades. Display bunches side by side in buckets or separate the stems to fill up jugs, bottles or vases. Look for larkspur, sea lavender, anaphalis and gypsophila. To dry your own bunches, remove the leaves and leave hanging upside down in a dry spot out of direct sunlight for a few weeks. They should last two to three years.

POCKETS FULL OF POSIES

For pretty wedding favours, position one of these at each guest’s place setting. Cut a semi-circle of brown paper or a re-used brown paper bag, crush it in your hand to create a crumpled effect, then roll into a cone shape. Use double-sided tape to hold it in place, then fill with stems.

TURN THE TABLES

Transform a length of reclaimed wood – a railway sleeper or floorboard, for example – into a striking centrepiece. At equal intervals, drill holes into the wood that are sufficiently wide and deep to securely hold dinner candles and handfuls of dried flowers respectively. Be sure to leave enough space between each hole so the dried bunches don’t touch the candles – and never leave lighted candles unattended.

TAKE A PESTLE TO YOUR PETALS

Crush a selection of dried petals to make potpourri or natural confetti. The colours of lavender, rose and larkspur work especially well, and these flowers often remain naturally scented when dried, although in some cases you may need to add a few drops of essential oil for fragrance.

FLOWER BONNETS

Tie small clusters of cow parsley and sea lavender (dried or to dry out) along a length of twine to decorate a plain straw hat. Alternatively, a garland like this also looks beautiful tied around a simply wrapped gift or strung in front of a window (perhaps with some additional flowers for more impact).

PLANT LABELS

For a twist on a herbarium or nature table, tape dried specimens – especially those with an interesting shape, such as the globe thistle (Echinops) – to luggage labels, being sure to record the details on the reverse. You could even use them as gift tags if the flowers aren’t too delicate or prickly. Or, for a true botanical artwork, attach them to a wall (as they are or framed) in ordered rows.

HOT OFF THE PRESS

Another way to preserve flowers is to flatten your chosen stems between pieces of parchment paper placed inside a book or between the layers of a flower press. If you’re using a book, make sure it’s closed tightly, and position more books on top of it or place it in a compact bookcase so the pages remain flat. Remove the flowers after a couple of weeks and display them in clear glass frames. Find similar to those below at Nkuku (nkuku.com).

FULL CIRCLE

For a classic dried flower wreath, weave dried stems into a willow or twig wreath base, or wire together the dried stems into a circle or thereabouts. Using seed heads and pods (such as poppy) and grasses with a slightly woodier stem should help to form a more solid shape. Hang up your wreath with a loop of ribbon.

DECK OUT YOUR DESK

A handful of dried flowers is an easy way to brighten up a workspace, bedside table or kitchen windowsill – and you can be creative about your choice of vase, as it doesn’t need to be watertight.

RAISE A GLASS

Use single stems to instantly transform a jar into simple (temporary) votives for a celebration. Wrap a strip of flexible corrugated card around the base of the jar, sticking it to itself at the back with double-sided tape. Carefully slot the stems into the gaps in the waves of the card to hold them in place. Add a tealight – and be sure not to leave it unattended after lighting.

FOREVER BLOOMING

Suspend bunches of colourful dried flowers from twine or a fallen tree branch, as if you were hanging them up to dry. For variety, try adding bundles of herbs, too. Some colour fading is inevitable over time, but will be delayed if you keep the display out of direct sunlight.