A Little About Press Flower Art

Pressed flower art began about 500 years ago when people started collecting botanical specimens. Originally, the specimens were glued on paper with a small index card indicating the plant's name, location, etc. Gradually, the specimens were arranged in more artistic ways, and before long, pressed flower art began.

In the Victorian period, pressed flower art was very fashionable among ladies. This art form has continued its evolution with the introduction of new techniques and processes over the years. Modern drying techniques and chemicals have especially improved the retention of the natural colors of pressed flowers.

Many people would like to know how to retain the wonderful, natural color of flowers. The secret is to select top quality fresh flowers, and process and dry them as quickly as you can. We press flowers between sheets of desiccant board and then place the flower press in a sealed plastic box filled with silica gel for fast drying. The color and texture of the flowers comes out much better with this pressing technique than when simply pressed between sheets of paper.