Selecting flowers to press

Introduction to Flower Pressing

Selecting flowers to press

The key to getting the best results lies in choosing the right flower - some species are more ideal than others. In this lesson, you'll find out what works well and what doesn't.

Good flowers for pressing

Start with:

• Buttercup
• Forget-me-not
• Daisy
• Pansy

When you have a bit more experience, move onto:

• Sweet Pea
• Cosmos
• Stitchwort
• Aquilegia or 'Columbine'
• Spanish Bluebell
• Clusiana Tulips such as Lilac Wonder or Sarah Raven's own 'Sarah Raven' Tulip
• Rosa Mutabilis
• Ammi Majus
• Plants with Umbellifer flowers
• Cow Parsley
• Cornflower
• Poppy

Picking flowers for the press

Look for flowers with:

• A delicate structure
• Sculptural shape
• Singular petals
• Interesting curves
• Personality and movement

Avoid flowers that are too full, as these tend to go mouldy in the press before they get a chance to dry out.

When you go out to pick flowers, always take a bucket of water with you so you can transfer the freshly picked stems straight into it to keep them as fresh as possible. Condition them as quickly as you can to ensure their longevity.

The origins of flower pressing

People first began to press flowers as a way of keeping a record of different plant and flower species. When pressing for scientific study, they would include every part of the flower to capture the entire life cycle of a flower. This includes:

• The root and steam
• The flower head
• The seed head
• The leaf

Once photography was invented, the need to press flowers as a means of record became less prevalent and the process transitioned into a decorative craft.

Preparing flowers for pressing

Step 1: Remove any damaged leaves or sad looking flowers that have wilted.

Step 2: Make sure there aren't any hidden buds behind the main flower - it is lovely to press buds, but you want everything to be pressed in its own space and not layered.

Step 3: Remove the roots, unless you want to press these, in which case they will need to be completely cleaned of any soil or debris.

Step 4: Trim it down so that it fits into your press.

It's best if you only have one or two types of flower in the press at one time, as each different species will press at different speeds.