Getting started with flower pressing
with JAMJAR EDIT
Lesson 4 of 23
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When beginning your journey into flower pressing, there are certain characteristics in flowers that Melissa and Amy would recommend looking out for. They also provide information on where to source flowers for pressing.
From the Lesson Workbook
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.
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Your Instructor
JamJar Edit
Renowned florists and flower pressing studio specialising in unique nature-inspired homewares.
JamJar Edit is a seasonally led floral design studio with an online edit of artwork and curated homewares. Inspired by the Sussex garden and woods that surrounded her childhood home, JamJar Flowers was founded by Melissa Richardson in 2009, with her signature style reflecting the simple charm of seasonal British flowers artfully arranged in jam jars. From these uncomplicated beginnings, JamJar Flowers has become one of London's leading florists. Melissa went on to create JamJar Edit with co-founder Amy Fielding in 2017; beginning as an eclectic collection of botanically inspired homewares and now an innovative design studio specialising in creating pressed flower artworks, from single stem framed pieces and private commissions, to ambitious installations and exhibitions. Their book, The Modern Flower Press, is the go-to-guide for pressing flowers in the 21st century.
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