What is flower preservation?
If you've landed on this page, you're probably holding onto flowers that mean something to you. Maybe it's a wedding bouquet, a funeral arrangement, or blooms from a moment you're not ready to let go of. You've heard that flower preservation is a thing, and you're wondering what it actually involves.
Here's the simple answer: preserved flowers are real flowers that have been treated to maintain their appearance for years or decades instead of days. The more complicated answer is that there are several ways to do this, each with different results, costs, and trade-offs.
I'm a pressed flower artist, so I have opinions about which methods work best. I'll try to keep those in check and give you an honest overview of what's out there. By the end, you'll have a clear sense of your options and which might be right for your flowers.
What counts as "preserved"?
I want to clear something up first, because this trips people up.
Air-drying flowers (hanging them upside down or laying them out) is technically a basic form of preservation. You're removing moisture so the flowers don't rot. The problem is that air-dried flowers haven't been processed to retain their color or shape. Over time, they fade, become brittle, and can develop mold if any moisture remains. That sad, crunchy bouquet sitting in someone's closet? That's what happens when air-drying is the whole plan.
True preservation methods go further. They either remove moisture in controlled ways, replace it with stabilizing agents, or encapsulate the flowers to protect them from air and light. The goal is a result that holds up for years, not months.
The main preservation methods
There are more ways to preserve flowers than most people realize. Here's what you'll encounter as you research your options.
Pressing. This is what I do at Bloom & Make. Flowers are carefully flattened under weight over several weeks, then arranged into 2D artwork and framed. It's important to know that pressing isn't just putting flowers in a heavy book and hoping for the best. Professional pressing involves a specific paper-changing schedule to prevent mold, humidity control, and sometimes pressing flowers in pieces and reassembling them petal by petal afterward. Most people don't realize that the rose in their frame might have been deconstructed and rebuilt. That level of control is what separates crisp, vibrant results from brown, crumbly ones.
Resin encapsulation. Flowers are suspended in clear resin that hardens into a solid block or shape. You'll see resin used for jewelry, coasters, trays, and decorative blocks. One thing worth knowing: you can't just drop a fresh flower into resin. The flowers are usually pressed or dried first, then placed in the resin. I should also be honest about resin's limitations. It can begin yellowing after about 12 months, and the thicker the piece, the more visible that discoloration becomes. A resin pendant might hold up for years. A large resin block will show its age sooner. Quality UV-stabilized resin slows this down, but doesn't prevent it entirely.
Freeze-drying. This has been the preferred method for professional preservation studios for a few decades. Flowers are frozen, then moisture is removed through sublimation in a vacuum chamber. The result is a 3D flower that looks almost fresh, typically displayed in shadow boxes or glass domes. I don't offer freeze-drying at Bloom & Make, and few artists do. The equipment costs $10,000 or more, and the process takes a very long time. It's beautiful work when done well, but the preserved flowers remain fragile and can reabsorb humidity if they're not properly sealed.
Chemically preserved "forever roses." You've probably seen these marketed as "eternity roses" or "infinity roses" in gift shops and online. They're real roses treated with a chemical process that maintains their soft, fresh appearance for a year or more. The process involves replacing the natural sap with a glycerine-based solution and often adding dyes to enhance or change the color. These are popular as gifts, but they're a different product than custom bouquet preservation. I'll write a separate post exploring how forever roses are made and what to expect from them.
Silica gel drying. This is a popular DIY method where flowers are buried in silica crystals that absorb moisture quickly. The results vary wildly depending on the flower type. Some hold their shape beautifully. Others shrivel. The crystals can also leave a residue that's hard to remove. Silica drying is often the "in-between" method people try before deciding they want professional help.
What flowers can be preserved?
Almost any flower can be preserved, but some cooperate better than others.
Flowers that preserve beautifully include dark-colored roses (the pigment holds up better than white or pale varieties), anemones, ranunculus, and most greenery, like eucalyptus. I've had wonderful results with lisianthus and certain varieties of dahlias when I can get them fresh enough.
Flowers that challenge preservation artists include white flowers (they tend to brown or turn translucent), succulents (too much moisture content), orchids (delicate structure), and heavily layered blooms like peonies in certain conditions. Challenging doesn't mean impossible. It means the artist needs to know what they're doing and set realistic expectations.
The biggest factor in how well flowers preserve is timing. Fresh flowers preserve best. "Fresh" means within one to three days of the event, kept cool and hydrated. Here's something important: fresh flowers should never go in your kitchen refrigerator. The ethylene gas released by fruits and vegetables will cause flowers to wilt and brown faster. If you need to keep flowers cool before getting them to a preservation artist, keep them away from produce.
What if your flowers have already dried? I hear this question a lot, usually from someone who air-dried their bouquet a year ago and now wishes they'd done something different. The good news is that it's sometimes possible to rehydrate and restore dried flowers. I've developed techniques for this, though results depend on how far gone the flowers are.
What do preserved flowers become?
The end product depends on the preservation method. Here's what's possible.
Framed artwork is what I create in my art practice, Bloom & Make. Pressed flowers are arranged into compositions and framed with archival materials. This is 2D art that hangs on a wall.
Shadow boxes display 3D preserved flowers (typically freeze-dried). They often include other wedding mementos like invitations, ribbon, or jewelry.
Functional pieces incorporate preserved flowers into resin objects like coasters, serving trays, or bookends.
Jewelry and small keepsakes use petals or small blooms in pendants, rings, and ornaments.
The end product you want should guide which preservation method makes sense. Someone wanting a large framed piece needs pressing. Someone wanting to preserve their bouquet's exact 3D shape needs freeze-drying. This is one of the first things I discuss with clients.
How long do preserved flowers actually last?
I'll be honest with you: "preserved forever" is marketing language. Everything degrades eventually. The real question is how long your piece will look beautiful with reasonable care.
Properly pressed and framed flowers with archival materials and UV-protective glass can last decades. I've seen pressed flower pieces from the late 1990s that still look lovely.
Resin pieces begin to yellow around 12 months, with thicker blocks showing it sooner and more visibly. Smaller pieces like jewelry hold up longer.
Freeze-dried flowers can last years if kept in sealed display cases, but they're fragile and will reabsorb humidity if exposed.
Glycerine-preserved flowers and foliage last several years, though colors may shift over time.
Air-dried flowers (what most people do at home) typically last one to three years before significant fading, brittleness, or mold.
What affects longevity? Sunlight is the biggest enemy. UV exposure fades everything. Humidity matters too. So does the quality of framing materials. Acid-free matting, museum glass, proper sealing: these things cost more upfront and make a real difference over time.
Who preserves their flowers (and why)?
Most of my clients are brides. The math makes sense when you think about it: the average wedding floral budget runs between $2,200 and $3,500. A preservation piece at $700 to $1,500 represents roughly 30 to 40 percent of what was already invested in the blooms. For that additional investment, something with a one-week lifespan becomes art that lasts decades. I often tell couples that a preserved bouquet makes a meaningful first piece in their art collection, something to anchor the wall as their family grows.
I also work with families preserving funeral and sympathy flowers. The emotional context is completely different, and the timeline is tighter (funerals happen fast), but the desire to hold onto something tangible from a difficult time is deeply human.
Beyond weddings and memorials, I've preserved flowers from milestone birthdays, anniversary celebrations, gardens, and bouquets from relationships that mattered. What connects these clients is a pull toward the flowers, a reluctance to let them disappear.
Should you try this yourself?
DIY preservation makes sense for some situations. If you're working with flowers that don't carry high emotional stakes, if you enjoy the process itself, or if you're comfortable with imperfect results, there's nothing wrong with pressing flowers in a book or experimenting with silica gel. I have blog posts that can help you do it well.
Professional preservation makes sense when the flowers are irreplaceable, when you want a polished result you can display, when you don't have weeks to dedicate to the process, or when you want color correction and restoration to bring out the best in your blooms.
I'll tell you what I see when clients bring me their DIY attempts. Mold from insufficient moisture removal. Color loss from uncontrolled drying conditions. Brittleness that causes petals to crumble the moment they try to frame or arrange them. These aren't failures of effort. They're the result of not having the right environment, materials, or techniques. It's useful information if you're weighing your options.
Is preservation right for your flowers?
A few questions to ask yourself: Would you regret letting these flowers go? Do you want them displayed somewhere you can see them, or are you comfortable with a keepsake tucked away? Are you drawn to 2D art or a 3D object?
If the answer is yes, you'd regret it, and you want something beautiful to display, preservation is probably worth exploring. If you're on the fence about the flowers themselves, your money might be better spent elsewhere. There's no wrong answer.
If you're leaning toward professional preservation and you're in the Chicago area, I'd love to hear from you. If you want to try DIY first, I'll point you toward resources that can help.
Either way, I hope this gives you a clearer picture of what flower preservation actually involves.