How to Press and Preserve Flowers
Pressing flowers is one of the oldest and most satisfying ways to make beauty last. Here is the complete guide to doing it well, from basic pressing to professional results.
Flower pressing has been practised in Britain since the Tudor period. Victorian naturalists pressed thousands of specimens; their collections, now in museums and herbaria, remain extraordinarily beautiful. The practice has never truly gone out of fashion, but it has recently found a new audience: pressed flowers are used in everything from framed botanical art to wedding stationery, phone cases, resin jewellery, and journalling.
The basic method
The simplest method requires only a heavy book and several sheets of absorbent paper. Place flowers between two sheets of paper, slide the paper between pages near the back of a heavy book, and stack more books on top. Leave for two to four weeks without disturbing. The paper draws moisture from the flowers; the weight keeps them flat. Most flowers press successfully by this method, though results are best with flowers that are naturally flat or can be arranged flat.
Best flowers for pressing
Advanced techniques
A dedicated flower press with wooden boards, foam layers, and tightening bolts produces better results than books: the pressure is more consistent and the foam improves moisture absorption. For the fastest results, an oven set to its lowest temperature (around 40 degrees Celsius) with flowers placed between paper and a flat baking tray can reduce pressing time to as little as two hours. Microwave pressing, using a specialist microwave press or carefully layered paper, can produce results in minutes.
Pressing tips for better results
- Press flowers immediately after picking or buying: wilted flowers press poorly
- Use one layer of flowers per sheet of paper and do not overlap petals
- Replace the paper after the first 48 hours if you notice significant moisture
- Silica gel sachets placed in the press accelerate drying and improve results
- Store pressed flowers in acid-free tissue paper in a dry, dark location
- Use PVA glue diluted with water to fix pressed flowers to paper or card: it dries clear
“A well-pressed flower retains something of the original plant that no photograph quite captures. It is the plant itself, translated into a new form.”
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