Dried flowers and foliage - a trend which has well and truly gone full circle! And it's the focus of this month's report...
You may have seen me mention in The Hottest Trends for 2019 Report that dried flowers are making a massive comeback! Well, it turns out that preserved flowers, dried foliage and dried grasses are very much 'en vogue' at the moment too. Read on to discover more...
Background
From as far back as the Victorian era (and apparently even Ancient Egypt!), flowers were dried as a way of preserving them to create flower arrangements. This trend was re-introduced in the 1950s, returned in the 1970s/80s and now yet again, it's having a renaissance.
A huge benefit of using dried and preserved materials is that you can create long-lasting designs. So they're perfect for public and retail spaces where a permanent display is required. And perhaps, one of the most well-known dried flowers, pictured above, is Helichrysum, which is also known as strawflower or everlasting flower.
When it comes to wedding designs, there are advantages to both the florist and bride for using dried flowers. The arrangements can be made well in advance, as there's no fear of the flowers wilting. Plus the bridal bouquet will last a long time and serve as a special memory of the day.
Not only are dried materials currently being used on their own in arrangements, but also combined with fresh flowers and foliage. Just a word of caution though, always handle dried flowers carefully as they can be delicate and sometimes brittle.
Foliage wise, bleached ruscus is suddenly taking off. Check out these posts on Instagram for ideas of how to incorporate it into designs.
On the grasses front, for the last few years, there's been a resurgence in the use of pampas grass for large scale arrangements. And other grasses too are now increasing in popularity. If you missed it first time round, do have a read of our special report about grasses, which features both fresh and dried.
Supplier-wise at the Flower Market, the majority of the dried and preserved flowers, foliage and grasses in this report are available at Porters Foliage. However, some of the other traders may also be able to source dried elements for you.
Types
FLOWERS
HELICHRYSUM - STEMS
Yellow
Orange
HELICHRYSUM - FLOWER HEADS
Yellow
Red
LAVENDER
STATICE
SPRAY ROSES
White
Pink
Peach
BIDENS
PROTEA
Protea Pendula
Protea Compacta
Flat Protea
SANFORDII
STIRLINGIA
Red
NIGELLA
BROOM
Bleached
TEASELS
Bleached
FOLIAGE
RUSCUS
Bleached
Lilac
Cerise Pink
Red
Dark Green
Peach
GRASSES
WHEAT
Natural Bearded
Bleached Bearded
Red Bearded
PHALARIS
PAMPAS GRASS
Also look out for Rodanthe, Lunaria, Scabious seed heads, dried oats, barley and hops...
DESIGN INSPIRATION
Dried flowers have certainly dusted off their old-fashioned reputation. They may not have the movement and suppleness of fresh blooms, but they're becoming more and more popular, not only for weddings but home decor too.
As you'll see from the images below, dried and preserved flowers, foliage and grasses are very versatile. You can use them to create everything from flower crowns, earrings, hair accessories, bridal bouquets and hanging installations to buttonholes, vase arrangements, chandeliers, wall hangings, corsages, wreaths and flower domes! Scroll down for lots of beautiful inspiration...
Bouquet by Grace & Thorn
Dried Flower Chandelier by Kitten Grayson Flowers
Mini Dried Flower Arrangement by Harriet Parry
Door Wreath by JamJar Flowers
Hanging Installation by Rebecca Louise Law
Dried Flower Domes by Indeco Flowers
Dried Flower Hair Accessories by Botanique Workshop
Cloud Design by JamJar Flowers
Giant Wedding Ceremony Rings by All for Love
Pedestal Design by Hiding in the City
Wall Hanging by Grace & Thorn
Hanging Installation by All for Love
Your Designs
(Source: Lush Petals)
(Source: Lush Petals)
(Source: Lush Petals)
(Source: Flower & Land & Juniperu Flowers)
(Source: Flower & Land & Juniperu Flowers)
(Source: Flower & Land & Juniperu Flowers)
(Source: Urban Flowers)
We'd love to see photos of designs that you've made using dried and preserved flowers, foliage and grasses from New Covent Garden Market. Simply send an email to hello@cgma.co.uk, stating your company name and website address. Or if you prefer, you could post your photo on Instagram or Twitter and tag us with @MarketFlowers. We'll then upload your photos into this section.
I hope you've enjoyed reading this month's florist's guide. Please do ask away below if you have any questions or would like to make any general comments. As always, we'd love to hear from you...
P.S. If you'd like some more beautiful dried flowers and grasses inspiration, do check out Atelier Prairies's incredible Instagram account.
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