If you have been following these posts you will realize  that this is finally the last of my planned short series covering dried flowers in their many forms .. one of the  biggest trends to come out of 2020  floristry. So many lovely dried flowers, leaves and grasses in so many great colour ways!
This post is all about caring for your dried creations once you get them home.
​What to do to keep them looking good.

Two simple rules
Two  simple things to remember: 1. keep them dry- so not for the steamy bathroom 2. Keep them out of direct sun to preserve their colour. Remember this and your dried flowers, foliage or grasses will last and last.
Careful dusting
Once a fortnight go over a dried arrangement with a feather duster. You can also occasionally grip the base of an arrangement or vase bunch and turn it upside down whilst carefully giving a gentle shake.
Pump up those petals
With older designs some of the more delicate flower petals can further shrivel or dry out over time. This is especially true of peonies and larkspur. They can be revived by placing the flower head in a stream of steam ( avoiding singing!) which plumps up the petals once more.
Place them safely
When adding slim dried stems to fresh flowers add the slim stems last, pulling their stem ends down rather than pushing on the delicate heads. Put your vase in an out of the way place where it can be seen but not knocked as some dried plant material can be brittle and collapse easily.

So that 's it.. you now know enough to grow, buy, dry and care for dried flowers, foliage and grasses.
Have fun with them.
Helen at Verdila
​XX

So you fancy a bunch of dried flowers. You are right on trend! Part 3 of my dried flowers series is all about named commercial dried material out there that you can order or buy to enhance your vase or bunch. Part 1 was all about garden plant material that you can grow and dry yourself easily, part 2 considered dried wedding flowers. Lastly part 4 will be all about caring for those dried flower vases.
So this post is all about good dried material that is out there to buy. Some of this is bleached and some preserved to enhance the flower or foliage so that, amazingly, it can be even better than the fresh version!

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Now for my top 10 dried foliage that you can buy. These are really fabulous. Consider just showing a few together on their own or include them with a few fresh roses for a wonderful arrangement

My Top 10 dried foliage, pods and dried  grasses

1. Pampas grass- relatively expensive per stem but a large head cut just right to preserve the silky plume
2. Lagurus-Bunny ears; a grass head that is so soft and cute
3. Bleached ruscus- even better than the fresh kind because it adds a new dimension to your  floral designing with its pale bleached colour. Perfect for a  muted, vintage feel or wintry piece.
4. Eucalyptus- preserved to be soft or leathery to touch. Note that the dyed ones are often not colourfast!
5. Palm leaf spear- usually come cut into a neat diamond spear. Other dried parts of a palm are also available like 'palm cups'.
6. Dried oats-surprisingly pretty multi grain heads
7. Wheat ( triticale or tarwe) - especially for that rustic country look
8. Poppy seed pods- available comercially in all sizes and colours
9. Nigella seed pods-soo pretty with their central seed pod surrounded by  curls
10. Christmas pine cones-  christmas is not the same without them!

Where can you find out more ?
  Try  https://www.atlasflowers.co.uk/blog  This site is all about  comercially prepared dried flowers or ask your local florist as more are now selling dried bunches.

Just drop me a line if you are interested in a bespoke dried flower bouquet too!
x Helen at Verdila

 Would you choose dried flowers for your big day?  You would be right at the forefront of this current trend that looks like lasting for a while. To help you consider dried flowers rather than silk wedding flowers or fresh wedding flowers for your nuptials,I have gathered some pros and cons when choosing and using dried flowers for your wedding.

Choosing dried wedding flowers

1. Peace of mind. Your florist can guarantee to deliver the flowers and even drop them a day ahead giving you time for some great wedding photo shoots.
2. You do not  have to pick in season flowers
3. There are a great variety of dried flowers, grasses, seed heads and foliages out there at the moment.  You can find  local suppliers and  good florists that  are even drying their own special flowers.
4. Bleached and dyed varieties extend the colour range.
5. You can take the designs  home after the big day to enjoy and show off.
6. Buttonholes and head pieces are extra light when made with dried material so easy to wear. Same generally  for dried bouquets.
   

Problems with using dried flowers:

1. They can be brittle and tend to break  unless handled carefully.  Some plant material is especially dried using treatments  to make it more leathery or soft  and  less brittle.
2. They need a feather duster as they  can gather dust if at home!
3. They can look a little stiff when in bouquets or vases
4. They are no cheaper than a fresh flower bouquet and often are more expensive due to the need to treat and dry stems
5. The quantity of dried material required  for a wedding bouquet can be large as many dried flowers are small. This will impact on the cost.

  Silk v dried flowers?
Another alternative is silk flowers. I have had requests from some brides looking at artificial or silk flowers as a long-lasting post Covid answer but I think dried real flowers are a good alternative because silk flowers nearly always look fake and always cost quite a lot more per stem than the corresponding fresh flower. Only if a particular flower is not in season or if you must have a delicate flower like a poppy that has a short life once cut, then an artificial flower comes into its own.
Also, you do not get a scent with artificial flowers whereas you can with dried flowers if you choose wisely.  Silk flowers can be  heavy with all the wire and are  not biodegradable like fresh or dried flowers.

How to include dried flowers in your wedding
I prefer to take the middle ground and incorporate  the dried with fresh in bouquets rather than do just  100 per cent dried  posies although I do like the particular dried wedding posy that I made and  is the photo taken for this blog! May be it all depends on getting the right balance of colours and shapes in the end, something that you choose a professional florist for.. Bleached foliage and dark stems can look stunning when set against fresh roses for instance.
Your choice.