DRIED FLOWERS FOR FALL DÉCOR

“Every leaf speaks bliss to me fluttering from the autumn tree.” -Emily Brontë

Dried flowers are their own niche aesthetic and, more than ever, are making a comeback. Whether you prefer an ’80s retro pastel aesthetic or a more befitting autumnal vibe, there are endless ways to preserve and decorate with dried flowers and foliage. Make your bouquet, garland, or wreath everlasting with some of the most popular dried flowers that really make a statement, such as salvia, wheat, lavender, and gomphrena. Wreaths built “on a grapevine base, using dried and preserved foliage like protea pods, gomphrena, broom blooms, curly willow, and branches of beech leaves in varied colours” create a charmingly cozy and inviting atmosphere that welcomes nature indoors.

You can either preserve your own dried flowers, buy some loose favourites to create your own arrangement, or keep fresh bouquets long after they’ve wilted. Simply remove the water and let them dry. This is a sort of romantic gesture (think of Dickens’ Miss Havisham clutching her withered wedding bouquet) and a simple way of decorating. Sometimes it’s the happy accidents that look the best and have the most charm. Arranging flowers shouldn’t feel like work; for the novice, it should be a joyful act.

The brightest and most eye-catching foliage are “Japanese maple, birch, beech, and various fruit trees. Shrubs can provide colourful leaves just like trees, but can also serve as a more visually interesting addition to your home with their varying textures. Oakleaf hydrangea, fothergilla, chokeberry, and sumac shrubs are all great options to look for when foraging.” Physalis or “Chinese lantern” is one of the season’s most vibrant plants. With a brilliant orange hue to rival any sunset or blood moon, stringing its lantern-like blossoms that appear in autumn (when the plant is young, the ornamental growths resemble potatoes) will add whimsy and magic to any setting. Gomphrena or “globe amaranth” closely resembles clover, dries beautifully, and can be wired easily to create garlands or other hanging décor.

Any flower can be preserved; the Japanese art form of creating works using individual pressed petals is called “Oshibana.” Think of it as painting with petals. With this, you can create DIY wall art with flowers and leaves while maintaining their colour and vibrancy. Inspired by Emily Dickinson’s herbarium, you can also preserve the imprint of your favourite flowers using natural dyes such as marigold pigment. Even if the colour fades in your dried bouquets or pressed flowers, autumn is the time for an earthy, monochromatic aesthetic. After all, the true poetry of flowers and plants is that they don’t last. They wilt and die eventually, making the short duration of their splendor ever more poignant. The fall season is about embracing the beauty of letting go.

When drying a bouquet, remove excess leaves from stems and focus only on the actual flowers. Tie with a string, hang upside down away from direct sunlight, and voila, it’s that simple. Silica gel is brilliant at preserving flowers and herbs. Simply immerse them in a tub of silica for about a week. Straw flowers are highly coveted for dried bouquets and décor; if you’re picking them from the garden, make sure they aren’t completely open yet (with no yellow showing in the center). This way, they won’t go to seed. When creating a fall centerpiece, don’t shy away from twigs, berries, and even branches. Dried lotus pods aren’t for everyone, but for the rustic and shabby-chic aesthetic, they create a visual spectacle. Utilize outdoor planters and add chicken wire as a base to hold everything in place when beginning your arrangement. Then add structural, large elements to create a dynamic shape with lots of texture and interesting angles. Bracken is good for this; the coarse fern adds a lot of depth. Finally, add the focal flowers (such as dahlias, straw flowers, sedum, cockscomb, amaranth, false goat’s beard, etc.).

For more on all your floral needs, check out Chelsea Flowers, and for information on dried flowers mentioned in this blog and oshibana, follow the links below:

https://www.marthastewart.com/dried-flower-ideas-fall-decor-8725486

https://www.bhg.com/preserve-branches-leaves-for-fall-decor-8712128

http://www.artfloreo.com/oshibana.html