Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and there’s no better way to show your loved ones you care than by surprising them with a stunning floral bouquet. However, fresh flowers can be very expensive and sadly only last for a short period of time.
Fortunately, preserved and dried flowers are a great solution for your sweetheart as they can last up to a year or more and require minimal maintenance. Plus, according to Seema Bansal Chadha, co-founder of Venus et Fleur, preserved roses are “becoming more and more popular because people want to gift items that will last!"
How are flowers preserved?
Floral preservation methods differ from one company to the next, but it traditionally involves a couple steps to maintain the flower's signature features.
"Our eternity flowers start like any other flower; they’re picked from our fields once they hit their peak full bloom," said Chadha. "Once we bring them back to our facilities, we remove their color using a nontoxic bleach solution and treat them with nonallergenic wax, as well as natural oils. Once the dehydration process is complete, we soak the flowers in dye to give them their bright and vibrant colors that we love. The flowers keep their soft texture, shape and even their beautiful rosy scent!"
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How are flowers dried?
"There was a time when people didn't care for dried flowers, but I've seen a resurgence in dried flowers over the past year," Sue Lang, owner of Gallea's Greenhouse & Florist in Pittsford, New York, said.
For starters, flowers with low moisture content and strong stems — like roses, hydrangeas, sunflowers, globe thistles and lavender — are easiest to to dry out. While there are several methods involving silica gel and sand to dry out a floral arrangement, the most traditional method is air-drying them upside down. (Some florals can also dry standing up as long as they're removed and kept away from moisture.) It's also key that a dried arrangement is placed in a cool, dark environment with low humidity and ample ventilation to preserve its quality and color.
How to maintain preserved flowers
Another advantage of the preserved roses is that they require very little upkeep — though they do require a little bit of attention.
“Firstly, I’d say to be mindful that your floral arrangement is very delicate, so always handle yours with the utmost care. I’d also say to make sure to not remove the flowers from the box or vase as this can harm their structural integrity," said Chadha.
"In order to maintain the beauty and vibrancy of the preserved roses, I recommend to keep them away from extreme heat or cold air, direct sunlight, or any form of humidity," Valerie Ghitelman, vice president of product development and design at 1-800-Flowers.com, added.
Chadha also recommends wiping your arrangement with a lightweight duster if it starts to show signs of stationary wear.
From single roses to robust bouquets, we’ve got some of the most stunning long-lasting flowers that will leave your beloved grinning from ear to ear. The great news is these preserved and dried arrangements are all under $150, so you’ll have plenty of money left over for a decadent Valentine’s Day dinner.
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Preserved roses and flowers to shop
Eternal Petals Solo Rose
Handmade in London, this exquisite rose is sourced from South America and has been expertly treated to last for a whole year, according to the brand. It comes in a variety of colors, including champagne, rainbow, gold, rose gold and many more. For a little added sparkle, each rose includes a genuine Swarovski crystal. One verified five star-reviewer called this product simply “perfect.”
Eterfield Preserved Roses
Show your love straight from the heart this February with this grand arrangement from Eterfield, which features seven pink preserved roses in an elegant display box. One five-star reviewer proclaimed “I sent these to my cousin and I was sooooooo pleasantly surprise when she sent me photo of the roses. She absolutely loved them and they look just as advertised. None of the roses have any bruising and look fresh. Often times when buying flowers online they end up looking nothing like the picture, but these exceeded my expectations."
Lovenfold Preserved Roses in a Box
Your beloved will be living like a royal when you gift her these preserved roses in a box covered with shiny rhinestones. This sparkly rose box is covered with a rhinestone sticker made of 8,000 artificial crystals for a super glamorous look. One reviewer wrote, "Sometimes rhinestones can look crafty and cheap but that definitely wasn't the case with this box. It adds the perfect amount of sparkle, especially when the light catches it just the right way."
The Million Roses Acrylic Single Box
Is your beau one in a million? Then they’ll love this sleek presentation from The Million Roses. The brand's flowers are grown in the sun-drenched fields of Ecuador and are expected to last at least three years. It also has a near-perfect average, with one satisfied customer raving, “[My] husband surprised me with this beautiful gift. Unlike short-lived fresh flowers, I can enjoy its beauty every day for years.”
Soho Floral Arts Forever Love Box
What’s up, bud? These genuine roses from Soho Floral Arts have an elegant, artistic love logo printed on the outside of the box. Available in four luxurious color combinations including radiant pink, pink, red and white, many satisfied Amazon customers speak to the arrangement’s beautiful presentation, packaging and light scent.
1-800-Flowers Preserved White Roses
These flowers are certainly a vision in white. Gift the special women in your life a delightful surprise with these six preserved all-white roses, arranged in a fancy white box. Complete with a luxurious white bow, the presentation of this bouquet is prettier than a picture. With proper care, these roses are designed to last up to one year.
Eterfield Handmade Preserved Roses in a Box
Your sweetheart will be completely blown away when opening this box of handmade preserved flowers. This classic box of 18 red roses from Eterfield are handpicked at peak freshness and carefully arranged in a round black box by their master florists. One five-star reviewer raved, “I can’t believe that 2 years later these roses look like I just bought them! My wife and I are amazed of how good the {sic} still looks."
Rose Forever Essential Black Velvet
These essential flowers from Rose Forever will have everyone buzzing. Each Rose Forever box is handcrafted specifically for their valued customers. With a near-perfect average from nearly 800 shoppers, one five-star reviewer who bought these for his “wifey” said “great product roses looked great and even smelled nice! My wife’s jaw dropped when she saw them, she loved them! I will definitely be buying more roses for special occasions.”
Venus et Fleur Petit Heart
Show your beloved that they are eternally yours this Valentine’s Day with these petit eternity roses from Venus et Fleur. These exquisite blush flowers come in a heart-shaped mini-Parisian hat box in classic black or white. With an arrangement so luxurious, how could your sweetheart not fall in love?
The Million Roses Basic Black Box
What happens when a flower blushes? It turns rosy. Make your beloved feel flushed this season with this basic black box from The Million Roses that are designed to last at least three years, according to the brand. Rated a near-perfect five-star average on the brand’s site, one customer wants potential buyers to know that “the roses are so pretty looking and are a great surprise to an [unexpected] partner, definitely buying again!!!” Exclamation points don’t lie.
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Other dried flowers to shop
Sonoma Lavender Co. Dried Bouquet of French Lavender
This dried lavender bouquet will provide relaxing sights and smells thanks to its natural scent and soothing color. One reviewer notes that having this next to their bedside helps them sleep at night, while another one raves about how beautiful this bunch is.
Afloral Dried Everlasting Daisies
With stems that make these flowers long enough to fit in even your tallest vase, these dried daisies were grown on farms in the Netherlands that were operated solely on solar power. These flowers arrive in compostable packaging, making them sustainable yet affordable. Daisies are available in a range of colors, from deep pink, a coral blend and vanilla cream.
House of Lilac Petit Dried Flower Bouquet
With nine different color palettes to choose from, gift your valentine with the set that will match their aesthetic best. When it comes time to change out decor, the brand recommends storing these dried flowers in an air-tight bin to preserve their quality.
CB2 Bunnies Tail Taupe Bunch
This bunnies tail taupe bunch from CB2 is ear-resistable. This natural dried lagurus is made in Italy and makes the perfect accent for any living room. Add as a filler to an assisting floral arrangement or create your own — all you need is a vase.
Anproor Dried Pampas Grass
Does your Valentine have a knack for interior design? She’ll have loads of fun creating the most original arrangement in your home this winter when you gift her this dried pampas grass. This 100-pack includes 50 small pampas grass, 20 reed grass, 15 white pampas and 15 brow pampas grass branches.
One five-star reviewer said, “I absolutely love it. A lot comes in the package and you have many ways to arrange them. I have enough for 1 or 2 more vases.”
Quick tip: if you put the dried pampas in the sun for 2-3 hours or more, it will become fluffier and softer.
Williams Sonoma Dried Pink Strawflower Bouquet
Pink never goes out of style, right? Made in Mexico, this set of bouquets include colorful strawflowers picked at their peak and air-dried to perfection. Each bouquet contains natural caspia and is grown without pesticides or herbicides. With the correct care, these dried bouquets will last roughly 12-18 months, according to the brand.
Afloral Blue Dried Echinops Globe Thistles
Your sweetheart will pick you all over again when you purchase this blue bouquet from Afloral. It’ll feel like spring all winter long inside your home with these dried and delicate globe thistles. These are naturally grown and harvested on a small flower farm in Washington. One buyer wrote that these dried florals were “beautiful as described. They were just what I was looking for.”
UrbanStems The Boa
If you’re searching for a little pop of color this Valentine’s Day, the boa from UrbanStems will make the perfect splash. This fabulous arrangement features a mixture of dried fuchsia pampas cortaderia and pink eualia and includes a dusty pink pair vase! With the proper care, this product can last from months to even years. Plus, you can still get 15% off orders over $120 with the promo code TODAY15.
UrbanStems The Tutu
There’s no doubt these flowers are on pointe! This bouquet from UrbanStems includes soft pink textures in a beautiful ceramic white vase. These flowers come pre-arranged and only require a bit of fluffing from time to time. No water or light required!
