6 reasons we love dried flowers with a ceramic vase

6 reasons we love dried flowers with a ceramic vase


BY TAMRA BOOTH, KEEEPS

  

Flowers are bloomin’ marvellous! Whilst traditionally we favoured fresh flowers, recently we have seen dried flowers soar in popularity, and we are loving them. Not only are they natural and beautiful but they completely transform a room, making it stylish and welcoming. Not to mention they are the perfect gift for any occasion, guaranteed to make the recipient happy inside. They help us build connections, to each other, to our home and surroundings.

Whilst fresh flowers come in all different colours and sizes and have the added bonus of smelling delightful, they have a relatively short shelf-life, and I usually find myself eventually chucking out a rather droopy bunch. If you are a flower addict, then you’ll be replacing them fairly regularly. They are, therefore, not the most sustainable décor option, and it’s likely causing a bit of a dent in your bank balance maintaining your floral needs!

After falling out of fashion in the 80’s (remember those dusty straw like “flowers” in your grandparent’s homes back in the day?), dried flowers are now returning from the dead (excuse the pun) “after a set of eternally chic Parisian influencers including Sabina Socol and Marissa Cox shared their table centrepieces of dried flower bouquets and pampas grasses”[1] Etsy actually reported a 93% increase in searches for dried flowers compared to last year and “Google searches for ‘dried flowers’ went up by 235% between 2019 and 2020”[2].

dried flowers market

Dried flowers are no longer fit for your granny’s windowsill, they are a full-on interiors trend, with “brightly coloured bunny tails, poppy seeds and delphiniums, becoming a must-have among interior influencers on Instagram”[3]. We love them because they are the perfect match for a handmade ceramic vase so it is no surprise that we are massive fans at Keeeps, with us even launching our “Pots & Posies” range (more on that below) to celebrate the dynamic duo.

We are definitely not trying to put you off buying fresh flowers because we love a gorgeous fresh bouquet, but why not consider alternating with dried flowers? Reducing consumption of fresh flowers will not only benefit the planet but save the pennies too. Dried flowers are the perfect option for fuss-free everyday décor, adding a bit of texture and style to a room, whilst fresh flowers can then be really appreciated on a special occasion when received.

So, since we are dried flower converts, have a read of our top 6 reasons to love dried flowers and let us know if we can persuade you too!

6 REASONS WE LOVE DRIED FLOWERS WITH A CERAMIC VASE

1. Dried flowers are SO stylish

Whether your house has a cosy cottage feel, vintage vibes or is a clean contemporary space, you will find a dried bouquet to suit your home. They are a great way to bring the outdoors in as an alternative to, or in addition to, a few houseplants, and nature is key in creating a calm and cosy home.

At Keeeps, our favourite looks are natural, earthy coloured flowers, like gypsophilia, natural grasses like pampas and bunny tails which create texture and softness, resulting in a dreamy bohemian space made for relaxing.

For us, dried flowers are completed by a gorgeous, complementary vase. Like a plant pot, a vase can make or break a bouquet, and because dried flowers last so long, you want a quality, timeless vase which you will love looking at for the next 1-3 years.

Of course, there is only one choice when it comes to vases and that is a handmade pottery one. This is why we love neutral toned dried flowers, because they can really make the vase pop, and create that centre piece in the home. Alternatively, if you have found a bright bouquet which matches your colour scheme perfectly, a sophisticated textured ceramic vase can really make those dried flowers shine.

ceramic pottery vases and dried flowers

2. Dried flowers are better for the planet

At Keeeps, sustainability is important to us which is one of the reasons we love dried flowers. They are of course 100% natural and biodegradable and can be put in our green bins to avoid being sent to landfill. They are also a great alternative to plastic flowers which are a big ‘no-no’ because plastic is the devil’s work and, let’s face it, they usually look a bit naff.

We have previously spoken about the importance of reducing the rate at which we consume products and tackling the “throw-away” culture. When researching this blog post, I was shocked to learn that the world’s greatest producers of flowers are located in Kenya, Ethiopia, Ecuador and Colombia due to the better climate conditions and cheaper labour costs[4], all of which leave a large carbon footprint when transporting to the UK, not to mention potential ethical issues.

Incorporating dried flowers into your home is a great way to reduce the carbon footprint as not only do they last for ages, but many are grown in the UK, meaning they haven’t travelled a million miles to get to you[5].  Mixed with a gorgeous handmade ceramic vase, another sustainable option, you can certainly feel good about doing your bit.

3. Dried flowers are long-lasting and fuss-free

I cannot be the only one who has “accidentally” left flowers in the vase somewhat beyond their expiration date with the horrible cloudy, soggy-leaf-ridden water to dispose of and clean up. Opt for dried flowers and you will not have to deal with this massacre again – they are water free.

This is great news for people who travel a lot, or when you go on holiday, as you will be greeted by flowers which look as good as they did when you left, rather than sad looking, dried up house plants with soil drier than the Sahara.

Provided you treat them well (keep reading for our top tips on keeping them ‘fresh’), most bunches will last between 1-4 years, with Bloom & Wild saying they last 3+ years. So you can justify treating yourself and spending a little extra, given the amount you will save from reducing your fresh flower consumption.

4. Dried flowers are affordable

When weighed up against the amount you would spend on fresh flowers over a period of 1-4 years, dried flowers are super affordable. Bunches range anywhere between £12 for simple, artisan bunches to hundreds for full, hand-tied, elegant bouquets.

To give some you some inspiration, here are a few of the dried flower retailers we are loving right now:

Lilys Flowers - A small business based in Surrey, UK, Lilys Flowers creates stunning dried bouquets of all different sizes, colours and textures. Keeeps is all about supporting local businesses and so we LOVE Lilys.

Mud Urban – A British business, based in Glasgow, Scotland. Mud sources its dried flowers from a British family-owned business which “are harvested using traditional techniques and preserved using state-of-the-art facilities powered by renewable energy sources”.

Bloom & Wild – One of the bigger florist companies but we love their sustainability stance as they really think about their impact on the environment and have a number of initiatives to reduce that.

Etsy – affordable, homemade, artisan and understated bouquets with lots of choice.

Keeeps – we have teamed up with Lilys Flowers to create our ‘Pots & Posies’ range and, wow, are we pleased with them. Lilys hand pick the gorgeous, dried flower arrangements and we pair beautiful handmade pottery vases to display them in – go and take a look.

lilac pottery vase and dried flowers

Finally, for those a bit more green-fingered or looking to take up a new hobby, there is of course the option to make your own dried bouquet. Simply “cut the excess foliage from the flower stems, tie them together in a bouquet, and hang them upside down in a dark, dry area with good circulation. Good places would be an attic or unused closet. Leave them like this for two to three weeks until they’re completely dry”[6] and, voilà, you have your own handmade dried flower arrangement ready to be adored.

5. Dried flowers are perfect for event planning

Dried flowers have been a real godsend for event planners. The problem with fresh flowers is that, ”they have to be prepared on the same day because they will wither and eventually die. Because dried flowers have gone through a drying process, they will stay natural and will look beautiful throughout the whole event[7]". This also means less setting up time and no stress over heating and air-con. I can hear a huge sigh of relief from all those bridezillas out there!

Another big benefit is that dried flowers do not contain pollen so any guests suffering from hay fever can leave the antihistamines at home.

Dried flowers are currently popular for weddings due to the reduced preparation time and appearance-wise, they are perfect for a country house or outdoor wedding. Dried flowers are in fact perfect for a wedding because you can preserve the memories, with many brides drying their wedding bouquets as a memento of the day – meaning you will still be admiring it on your wedding anniversary!

6. Dried flowers make a special gift

Of course, flowers in general are a crowd-pleaser and are guaranteed to put a smile on your special someone’s face. But receiving fresh flowers for every occasion can sometimes lose its impact, and make receiving them a little less special.

By treating your loved one to some dried flowers and a stunning handmade ceramic vase, they will be on the receiving end of a gorgeous bouquet (check), which will last far longer than their usual fresh one would (check) but adding a complementary statement ceramic vase really shows extra thought and care (win-win!)

ceramic vase and dried flowers

Maintenance and care for dried flowers

To tie it all up, as promised, here are our top care and maintenance tips to make sure you get the most out of your dried bunch for years to come:

  1. Keep out of direct sunlight as this can bleach or impact the colours
  2. Do not display anywhere humid (kitchens and bathrooms, particularly if they are small, are usually no-go’s)
  3. Try not to bash them or move them around too much
  4. When they get dusty, gently blow with a hairdryer on the coolest, and lowest setting.

 

So, need we say more? Get out there and treat yourself to a statement, handmade pottery vase and some sustainable, long-lasting blooms to go with them!

 

Sources

[1]  Dried Flowers & 30+ Best Dried Flowers to Shop | Glamour UK (glamourmagazine.co.uk)

[2] Dried Flowers & 30+ Best Dried Flowers to Shop | Glamour UK (housebeautiful.com)

[3] Dried flowers are the new floral trend taking over Instagram (idealhome.co.uk)

[4] The Environmental Impacts of the Cut-Flower Industry | Green Journal

[5] Dried flower bouquets and how to do your home (stylist.co.uk)

[6] The Sustainable Choice: Tips on Buying And Making Your Own Dried Flowers | Metro.Style

[7] These are five benefits of dried flowers! | Lamboo Dried & Deco (lamboodrieddeco.com)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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