We love soaking in the spectacular scenery and colours of fall, but we always feel a bit wistful watching our summer flowers fade, and the leaves fall from the trees. Wouldn’t it be nice if floral arrangements and golden fall leaves could last forever? Well, there is one way to enjoy them forever: create an arrangement of dried plants and faux silk florals.  

Dried floral bouquets look especially beautiful in fall, as their colours take on a subtle, muted tone with natural hints of gold and cinnamon. Though they may no longer be fresh and vibrant, preserved bouquets have an antique charm and a dreamy, romantic quality. Preserved floral bouquets that last forever are becoming increasingly popular for home decor, so here’s how you can make your own this fall.

How Do You Dry Flowers for a Forever Floral Bouquet?

The best way to dry flowers for an everlasting bouquet is by hanging them upside down with some string. Make small bundles of a few flowers each, tie them together near the end of their cut stems, and hang them somewhere well-lit with good air circulation. In about a week, you’ll be left with a lovely assortment of dried florals that will stay upright forever without wilting.  

Remove the strings, and arrange the flowers to your liking, being careful not to break their delicate leaves and stems. Try to put the tallest flowers and grasses in the middle or back of your bouquet.  

Our flower shop also carries some pre-dried plants, such as our eucalyptus bundles, so visit us to see what’s available to add to your custom fall arrangement.

The Best Plants for Floral Bouquets That Last Forever  

Not all flowers are ideal for dried bouquets, as their petals may be too delicate and will fall apart. Others hold up quite well and look stunning after their colour lightly fades and transitions to a creamier, softer tone. Here are our favourite varieties for preserved floral bouquets to enjoy:

Hydrangeas

These voluminous clusters of colourful blooms are wildly popular for fresh bouquets, especially for weddings and events. It turns out they’re just as beautiful when they’re dried! They usually have more of a candy-coloured pastel tone when they’re fresh. After drying, those bright blues, pinks, purples, and greens look like they got the Valencia Instagram filter treatment, giving them a beautiful warm tint that’s perfect for fall.

Celosia

The distinctive flowers of this striking fall annual are velvety and shaped like little candle flames. They’re practically neon while they’re fresh, available in all sorts of crayon box colours like magenta, gold, orange, red, and deep purple. When they’re dried, Celosia blooms develop a richer tone””the purple ones are especially lovely as part of a forever floral bouquet, taking on a deep plum-wine shade.  

Pampas Grass

This ultra-trendy ornamental grass is taking the design world by storm, from interior decor to wedding arrangements and styled photoshoots. The feathery plumes look utterly magical. Even on their own in a pretty vase, they make a stylish statement, but in mixed arrangements with other dried flowers, you’ll want to stare at them forever!

Wheat Sheaves

Nothing captures the warm golden glow of fall like a bushel of honey-coloured wheat sheaves. The texture and style really work for that rustic, cottage-core aesthetic everyone has been swooning over these days. Mix some into your floral bouquet to bring on the prairie harvest moon vibes.  

Eucalyptus

We can’t get enough of the soothing scent and ethereal grey-green colour of this beautiful foliage plant! The round leaves grow up along tall stems, bringing fantastic visual contrast to mixed arrangements. They’re also quite attractive when woven into wreaths for fall and winter decor.  

Silk Flowers and Fall Foliage

They may not be real, but they’re certainly still beautiful! Our flower shop has some incredible faux florals and fall foliage that are sure to keep their colour forever. They’re actually quite convincing and look fabulous when integrated into a bouquet with mixed dried flowers.  

If you need any help arranging your forever floral bouquet, the fine folks in our flower shop will be happy to give you some pointers! We’re also happy to take custom orders for arrangements. Stop in for a visit to our Floral Studio to see everything available now for fall!