Here at Birch Farm, we’ve perfected the craft of growing and drying flowers, ensuring they remain beautiful and vibrant long after their bloom. All our flowers are grown without pesticides, allowing nature to thrive naturally. Once they reach their peak, we cut the stems, strip the leaves, and hang them to dry in our 200-year-old stable, a space steeped in history and charm.
We use these dried flowers in our autumn wreath workshops held in our barns, and they’re also available in our dried flower wreaths for sale across the UK. There’s something special about preserving the essence of summer in a wreath or display, especially as the colder months arrive.
If you’re interested in drying your own flowers, here are our best tips and a list of recommended varieties.
How to Dry Flowers
Pick at their peak: Select flowers that are just about to fully open. This ensures they maintain their shape and colour throughout the drying process.
Remove the leaves: After cutting, strip away any leaves from the stems, as they tend to wilt and crumble when dried.
Tie in small bunches: Group the flowers into small bunches (5-7 stems) and tie them with natural twine or string. Hang them upside down in a cool, dark space with good airflow. At Birch Farm, we hang them in our old stable, but any dry, well-ventilated space at home will do.
Let them dry naturally: Leave the flowers for 2-3 weeks. You’ll know they’re fully dried when the petals feel crisp and the stems are brittle.
Store safely: If you’re not using them immediately, store your dried flowers in a cool, dry space. A box is best to keep dust and moisture away.
Best Flowers and Grasses for Drying
Here are some of the varieties we grow and use at Birch Farm, perfect for drying:
Statice: This flower holds its vibrant purple, pink, or white colours well, adding texture and volume to dried arrangements.
Strawflower: A favourite for drying due to its naturally papery petals, strawflower offers a wide range of colours and holds its shape perfectly.
Lavender: Known for both its beauty and fragrance, dried lavender brings a lovely scent and deep purple tones to any arrangement.
Hydrangea: Hydrangeas dry beautifully and tend to fade into soft, antique-like colours, such as pale blues, pinks, and greens.Roses: Smaller, sturdier rose varieties dry well and add a romantic touch to wreaths and displays.
Larkspur: Larkspur retains its vibrant blues and purples beautifully and is ideal for adding height and elegance to any dried flower arrangement.
Eucalyptus: With its aromatic leaves and silvery green hue, dried eucalyptus adds structure, texture, and a calming fragrance to wreaths and bouquets.
Amaranth: This dramatic, cascading flower dries exceptionally well, adding striking reds and greens to your creations.
Dried Grasses: Alongside flowers, dried grasses are an essential part of any dried arrangement. Varieties like Bunny Tails (Lagurus), Wheat, Oats, and Pampas Grass provide a soft, natural texture and earthy tones. They work perfectly to fill in gaps and add movement to wreaths and bouquets. Grasses are incredibly easy to dry—simply hang them upside down in small bunches like flowers. Their neutral shades blend beautifully with the more colourful blooms, creating a balanced, rustic look.
Why We Love Dried Flowers
At Birch Farm, we love working with dried flowers because they bring a little bit of the summer garden into the home all year round. Whether it’s for a dried flower wreath or a simple vase display, the beauty of dried flowers is their longevity—capturing the memory of warmer days while giving promise of the seasons to come.
If you’re keen to learn more about dried flower wreath-making, why not join one of our autumn wreath workshops? There’s nothing quite like spending an afternoon in the warmth of the barn, surrounded by the rich colours and textures of dried blooms, creating something truly special.
Happy drying, and may your home be filled with the beauty of nature—no matter the season!
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