Pressing flowers and herbs – a simple project
Preserve your garden’s beauty year round! Most of us have had experience pressing flowers as children. It can be a very relaxing hobby as an adult, with many potential projects including pressed flower jewellery and wall art, and even pressed flower mobile phone cases.
I have a little hobby flower press with layers of cardboard interlaced with blotting paper. The flowers I used for this project included viola, comfrey and rosemary flowers, and herb leaves included marjoram, rosemary, herb robert and fennel. If you’re not sure whether a flower or leaf is worth pressing, give it go!
Basic flower pressing method
![fresh flowers leaves](https://driedflowercraft.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/DSCF3516-1024x768.jpg)
Pick your blooms and leaves in the morning while they’re at their freshest, and layer them up in the press. Place the flowers onto a layer of blotting paper, cover with more blotting paper then card, and put down a new layer of blotting paper before starting again. Five or six layers can be achieved this way in a single press. Tighten the nuts on the corners and leave for at least a week before opening. Check the flowers are fully dry before removing – some may need up to six weeks.
![pressing violas](https://driedflowercraft.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/DSCF3520-1024x768.jpg)
Tips for pressing flowers
- Most people will know that if you haven’t got a flower-press, a book or telephone directory can be equally good. Use blotting paper between the pages though, for the best results, and to avoid marking the book. Stack up a few books on top to add weight.
- Kitchen roll can be used instead of blotting paper, but avoid heavily embossed patterns in case you end up with patterned petals!
- Check flowers and leaves for marks, discolouration and insect damage before you start, because any imperfection will only be made worse by the drying process.
- Place flowers face down on the paper. This way they are more likely to stay in place as you close the press.
- Press similar flowers and leaves together in the same layer. For example viola flowers are delicate, so are best kept separate from thicker items like rosemary leaves.
- Use absorbent card between the layers of blotting paper. If your press comes with glossy card, replace it with corrugated or kraft cardboard.
- For best results store the press somewhere warm and dry while in use.
- Don’t be tempted to open the press early. Blooms pressed for only a day or two will be flat but not dry and are more likely to deteriorate. The longer you can leave them in place, the longer the colours will last.
- Experimentation is key – if something goes wrong the first time, learn from your mistakes and try again!
- PVA is the most commonly used glue for pressed flower projects as it doesn’t discolour the petals, and it can also be used as a protective coating.
![rosemary leaves](https://driedflowercraft.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/DSCF3547-1024x768.jpg)
![finished pressed flowers](https://driedflowercraft.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/DSCF3586-1024x768.jpg)
![pressed flower project](https://driedflowercraft.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/DSCF3595-1024x768.jpg)
If you aren’t able to press your own blooms but would like to try a project or two, there is a wide range of UK pressed flowers at daisyshop.co.uk – see bottom of page.
A version of this article was first published in the Herb Society Journal Herbs in September 2016.
Read more about pressed flowers on this blog
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