Dried flowers in a vase: how to arrange them and keep them looking good
No water, no direct sun, no bathroom: the three rules for dried flowers. How to choose the height of the bouquet, remove dust, and know when to replace it.
In this guide
Dried flowers keep best in a dry vase, away from direct sun and away from damp rooms. These three rules do almost everything. The rest is a matter of proportion between the bouquet and the vase.
The three rules
No water
A dried flower is a real flower that has lost its water. If you give it water again, the stem softens and goes mouldy. The vase must be dry, inside and out.
This is also what makes dried flowers practical: they go in the vases that the maker does not intend for water. Our porcelain vases are like that. They are stated for a dry display.
No direct sun
Sunlight makes colours fade. The Royal Horticultural Society advises keeping dried arrangements out of direct sun. A shelf or a console table away from the window suits very well. Dried flowers do not need light: they no longer grow.
No damp room
The same source advises against damp rooms, such as the bathroom: the flowers can go mouldy there. Also avoid the top of the sink and the area next to a kettle.
How long they last
A long time, but not for ever. The University of Missouri puts it simply: even the best dried flowers fade little by little, and you replace them when they no longer give the intended effect.
Not all colours hold the same way. According to the same source, blue and yellow flowers keep their colour well when air-dried. Pink ones tend to fade.
This slow change is part of the charm: a dry bouquet takes on tones of straw and beige over time.
Dust
This is the only upkeep. The Royal Horticultural Society gives a tip: a hair dryer, set to a gentle heat, from time to time. Hold it at a distance, as the flowers are fragile.
Use neither a damp cloth nor a water spray. Move the bouquet as little as possible: each handling breaks off a few strands.
The right bouquet height
The classic florists' rule: for a tall arrangement, the bouquet is about one and a half times the height of the vase. A 15 cm vase therefore carries a bouquet of a little over 20 cm.
- Bouquet too short: it disappears into the neck of the vase.
- Bouquet too long: the vase looks small, and the whole thing can tip over.
So a small bouquet goes in a small vase. Our green vase, 10.5 cm tall, is the lowest in the range: a few stems are enough for it.
In a duo or trio: only one vase filled
When several vases stand together, fill only one. The others stay empty. The bouquet becomes the point the eye looks at first, and the empty vases go with it.
Our porcelain sets come in a "With dried flowers" version: the vases, and a small bouquet of real dried flowers, mounted on a 4 cm wooden base. The bouquet stands on its base next to the vases, or the stems slip into one of them. Each bouquet is unique: a flower or a colour may change with the season.
The rules for height and colour between vases are in our guide to arranging a duo or trio of vases.
Matching the colours of the bouquet and the vase
- Bright vase, neutral bouquet. Tones of straw, off-white or beige in a yellow or pink vase: the vase stays the star.
- Vase and bouquet in the same family. A yellow vase and yellow or orange flowers: the whole looks bigger.
- Avoid two bright colours fighting, unless that is the aim. In that case, own it: it is the idea behind 70s-style decor.
Dried flowers or artificial flowers?
Both live without water. The difference:
| Dried flowers | Artificial flowers | |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | Real flowers | Imitation |
| Colours | Soft, they fade with time | Bright, stable |
| Fragility | Brittle | Sturdy |
| Each bouquet | Unique | Identical |
We sell both. The "Real Touch" tulips are artificial, and their product page says so.
To choose the vase itself, read which design vase to choose, or see all the models on the design vases page.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to put water in a vase of dried flowers?
No, never. Water makes the stems go mouldy. A dry bouquet goes in a dry vase.
How long do dried flowers last?
A long time, but not for ever. Even the best fade little by little. Kept dry and away from direct sun, a bouquet stays beautiful much longer. When it no longer gives the intended effect, you replace it.
How do I remove dust from dried flowers?
With a hair dryer set to a gentle heat, from time to time, held at a distance. No damp cloth, no water.
Where should I not put dried flowers?
In a damp room, such as a bathroom: they can go mouldy. And in full sun, behind a window: their colours fade.
Are dried flowers real flowers?
Yes. They are real flowers from which the water has been removed. The "Real Touch" tulips that we also sell are artificial.
