Getting started with flower pressing

Introduction to Flower Pressing

Getting Started with Flower Pressing

When beginning your journey into flower pressing, there are certain flowers we would recommend and others that we would suggest avoiding when you are just starting out.

How to Begin

If you are a complete beginner, we would recommend keeping it simple - and pansies are a great flower to start with. They are cheap to buy, readily available and flower throughout the year.

You will come to learn that some flowers are better to press than others - typically flowers with less moisture are best.

Good flowers to start with are ones that are a single petal variety or have a delicate and flat structure. We would recommend:

• Pansies
• Sweet peas
• Cosmos
• Buttercups
• Poppies

Try to avoid flowers that are too blousy and voluminous, as these tend to be full of moisture. Avoid varieties such as:

• Dahlias
• Tulips
• Chrysanthemums
• Carnations

When cutting a flower, include the tendrils, leaves and buds further down the stem as this will make your piece much more interesting.

Sourcing Flowers for Pressing

You don't need to buy very many - just a few singular stems are enough to get you started. These can be sourced from:

• Your own garden
• Local florist
• Markets
• Growers

Refer back to the previous lesson for information on the legality of picking flowers in the wild.