(Photo: Getty Images)
Want to keep that romantic red rose
around a little longer? Whether they’re from Valentine’s Day or another special
occasion, roses can last beyond their first bloom with a bit of extra care. You
can dry out the flowers and display them or use them in craft projects for
memories that live on.
You’ll need:
- Fresh
roses - Push-pins
- Rubber
bands or string - Aerosol
hair spray
The key is to start before the heads of the roses begin to droop and
before the flowers have lost any petals. This ensures a strong stem, a firm and full flower, and the most vibrant color once dry.
If the flowers have been
in water, dry the stems, and remove leaves from the stems. Take two or three roses
and gently twist a rubber band or string around the bunch near the bottom of
the stems to hold them together.
Secure a push-pin into a shelf, wall, door frame, closet, or other
area to hang that is away from people and pets. You want to hang the roses
where they will get air circulation but not face a window (so they don’t
fade or become too brittle). Hook or tie the loose end of the rubber band /
string to the push-pin.
It will take about two weeks for the roses to completely
dry. Then you can lightly spray each flower with hair spray to keep them from
falling apart as quickly (though they will always be fragile).
Blooms will shrink and change color when they dry. Red roses
can turn very dark burgundy, almost black. White roses become a lovely
parchment color. Pink roses tend to become a deep blush or peach. Yellow roses
may turn a brown or orange shade. Purple roses can go blush or brown,
depending on how dark they started.
Long-stem dried roses look elegant in vases and
arrangements, or you can hot-glue dried blossoms onto wreaths and seasonal
decorations. Fill a glass bowl with a mix of dried roses for a romantic
centerpiece.
If you want to dry a fully opened blossom, try
using silica
gel. This product is available at craft stores and can be dangerous around
children and pets. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. You’ll
also have to snip the roses sooner.
Have the petals already begun to fall? You can still
preserve the flower by pressing it or at least pressing a few petals. This site has easy instructions
for making a flower press out of cardboard, paper towels, and coffee
filters. You can use pressed roses and petals in scrapbooks and other art projects.