The Art of Pressed Flowers and Leaves: Contemporary techniques & designs

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Some people recommend pressing flowers for only 2 – 3 weeks, but we don’t find this to be long enough. We definitely recommend leaving your flowers in the book for 4 – 6 weeks to make sure that they’re completely dried out. The florists behind JamJar Flowers share their modern take on the lost art of pressing flowers' Gardens Illustrated Try and minimise the amount the petals touch each other. At Precious Petals we take them apart and press each petal individually; then, when we create pictures we remake the flower again. This minimises the moisture that can be trapped in the flower as it’s being pressed. Catherine’s top tip:"Some people make a really massive mistake of thinking they have to push loads of weight down on the flowers to make it press well, but that’s not the case – in fact, you can really damage the flowers doing that. Just put enough gentle pressure to flatten the petals without squashing them. Placing a pile of books on top is lovely but you don’t need to sit on the pile of books." Designing the flowers If you’re someone who has access to flowers in your garden or on your balcony or window sill, learning to press them not only brings nature indoors but doubles up as a mindful hobby.

The florists behind JamJar Flowers share their modern take on the lost art of pressing flowers'. Gardens Illustrated If you’re a beginner or buying it for a child, then make sure you get a flower press kit that is designed to be easy to use and very approachable for someone who has never done this before. Failure to get the right difficulty level can turn out to be a very boring experience or a very difficult one, depending on where you missed the mark. Value Step 1 — First, sandwich your flowers between two pieces of paper. (You should be pretty familiar with this step by now.) To do this, place your fresh blooms between 2 sheets of parchment paper in the microwave and place a heavy microwave safe dish on top. Microwave on medium power for 90 seconds. Celebrate all things botanical and learn about the art of pressing flowers with this beautiful new book by the florists of South London’s beloved JamJar. The Modern Flower Press is a bible of fascinating floral facts, tips, myths and, above all, glorious illustrations and photography.' Tatler

What to do with pressed flowers and leaves

Put them somewhere lovely and warm. Somewhere like an airing cupboard or nice, sunny conservatory is ideal. For more inspiration, see the company's new book, The Modern Flower Press' Country Homes & Interiors Much like the book-press method, a homemade or store-bought wooden flower press can give you fabulous results. (Plus, you can decorate a wooden press or customize it to match your style-BONUS!) Supplies: Some other flowers that work well for pressing are violets, baby’s breath, lilies, hydrangeas, Queen Anne’s lace, buttercups, lavender, cosmos, pansies, daisies, and larkspur (aka delphinium). You can also dry small herb stems or fern leaves.

You can buy special microwave presses, which may give better results, but we haven’t tested those. Iron the flowers to press them: The easiest way to press flowers is definitely using a book, as described above. It’s a simple method that’s accessible to almost everyone, with no special supplies or techniques required!

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The next consideration on your mind should be how much you’re willing to spend on your flower pressing kit. They’re available in a wide range of prices, so spend accordingly. If using a bouquet, keep it in water until ready to press. (Tip: Always cut stems at an angle and place flowers in a vase with flower food to maintain freshness. Replace water daily and remove any leaves below the water line.) Drill a hole in each corner of the boards, about 1 inch from the edge. Make sure you match the size of your bolts and line up the holes on both boards. Step 2: Arrange flowers in between cardboard and paper Transform fresh blooms into beautifully pressed flowers by following our simple step by step tutorial. It’s SO EASY to learn how to press flowers, though it does take a bit of time and patience.