February 25, 2026
It's a question I have been asked many times..."That dried flower bouquet is so pretty...but what do I do with it?" Most of us have long been accustomed to impulse-buying a cute bouquet of flowers from the grocery store, or even gathering some pretty stems from the backyard, putting them in water, and enjoying them until they die. Wash, rinse, repeat.
As dried flowers are now surging in popularity, many of us have had little exposure to them. Or, for those of us "born in the 1900's" as my children like to say...our memories of dried flowers are that of ugly, dusty old centerpieces on a great aunt's table during our childhood years. That was then, and this is NOW. Dried flowers are popular again, not only because of their natural beauty, but because they are offering us a chance to incorporate them as a more sustainable option to fresh flowers--something the younger generation is actively embracing. I have written more about the "why's" of dried flowers compared to fresh HERE. What we do need to figure out, though, is how to use them in a way that feels fresh and modern and doable for our fast-paced lives. So here are 5 ways to do that...with a few very simple design hacks.
1) PUT THEM IN A VASE
I am aware that this is quite obvious...but don't roll your eyes and run away yet! The key to a modern dried floral design has more to do with HOW you put the flowers in a vase--let me show you what I mean. Fresh flowers typically have a natural shape to them because of the flexibility that the moisture in the stems brings, so when they are placed upright in a vase, they bend gracefully and create pretty lines. Compare that to dried flowers; dried stems have no moisture, which means no bend...and the flowers stand erect like toy soldiers in your chosen vessel. In some very modern design, this is desirable, but for most of us who just want something casual and effortless-looking in our homes, it doesn't work. Notice the fresh and dried flower comparision below. In the first photo, the light and airy fresh bouquet has natural drape. The next two photos show the opposite, and in my opinion, a less-than-attractive way to use dried florals.
So what is the solution? Floral designers would have MANY opinions as to how to remedy this, but I will give you two practical real-life solutions, shown in the photos below. First, place your stems in a vase with a very wide mouth, and short enough to allow them to fall to the sides. This creates some natural movement and makes the display look relaxed and comfortable. Another option is to add some greenery that has been glycerine preserved instead of just air dried. Glycerine preservation is used quite often for eucalyptus, but I use it in my workshop for many types of greenery that I want to stay flexible. See the difference in the bouquet on the right? Some central stems are rigid, but the softer eucalyptus mimics the shape of a fresh bouquet.
2) Think Outside the Vase
One very significant design advantage to dried flowers is that they do not require water. So, the sky is the limit for containers to hold them...old buckets with holes, baskets, tin cans, rain boots, rusty watering cans...any of these, and more, can be the perfect pairing for a dried flower bouquet to add a unique statement to your decor. Here are some arrangements that I love:
3) Hang Them
As soon as the first blooms open their faces to the sunshine in my garden, I begin the work of harvesting and drying. The flowers are sorted, bundled, and hung from baling wire strung between the rafters in my flower workshop. Visitors always comment about the beauty of the rainbow of color overhead as the season progresses and the rows fill with fragrant bouquets. Dried flowers seem most "right" to me when they are upside-down. Even once they are dry, a simple thing to "do" with dried flowers is put them back into their natural state and hang them. Bundle all one kind together, or create a mix of color and textures, tie with rustic twine, clothespins or linen ribbon and hang from hooks, nails, or boards.
4) Create a Wreath
Dried flower wreaths are such an iconic use for dried flowers that they must be mentioned. Wreaths can be made in many sizes and styles, from country cottage to strikingly modern. Wreaths can be hung on walls, behind chairs, tucked in with shelf decor, or centered on kitchen cabinets. While dried flower wreaths can be found at discount stores, they are most often made from dyed and imported flowers. High quality wreaths can be quite expensive simply because locally grown flowers take time to grow and dry, and crafting wreaths takes a florist a lot of time. I would encourage you to make your own! Source quality flowers from sellers on sites like Etsy, and then use online tutorials to put it together. I have a mini wreath tutorial HERE. Another alternative would be to purchase a kit that includes all the supplies you need for the project. Because I see this as so valuable to the many of us who are challenged to find time to craft, I base my whole business around creating kits to help people like me to make home decor with superior quality natural materials. You can read about my wreath kit HERE.
5) Be an Artist
Yes...YOU can create amazing art with dried flowers. Why? Because the materials do the heavy lifting. Properly dried flowers are so naturally beautiful that it doesn't take much skill to create stunning art. You can find many tutorials online about how to use pressed flowers for various wall art projects, and that certainly is worth doing. Jennifer from Cottage on Bunker Hill has a website I have followed for many years with some incredible botanical projects - you can read about some of her pressed flower projects HERE.
I have spent a lot of time, however, creating 3-dimensional projects using air-dried flowers, so this is what I get most excited about when designing with dried flowers. With the stems removed, flowers become the "paint" to add to many surfaces. Gift tags become extra special with dried flowers added. Frames become heirloom quality and make truly unique gifts. Seasonal decor for Thanksgiving or Christmas is more earthy and botanical when dried florals join the party!
There are so many flower projects...so little time. I hope that I have given you a few ideas to help you begin exploring the wonderful world of dried flowers. So what in the world do you do with dried flowers? Everything.