How to Press Flowers

09/23/25

Written By House Digital

Give your bouquets a life beyond death when you learn how to press flowers with Johnsons. There is simply too much beauty held within a vase to simply discard your blooms once they’re past their prime, which is why we’re such big fans of pressing. Take a look at our guide on how to press flowers and find out our stunning tips on what to do with pressed flowers. We’ll be breaking down our creative ideas on how you can display your pressed flowers around your home, so take a look today.

When Should I Press My Flowers?

Whilst you might want to give your flowers the longest vase life, we wouldn’t recommend waiting until they’re dead to press them. The fresher your chosen flowers, the better their colours will show, and they’ll be far more likely to stick to the page. If you’re pressing flower plants directly from your garden, we’d recommend picking them during the evening to ensure that dew has evaporated and they aren’t too damp.

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What Flowers Can I Press?

The flowers that look most dazzling when displayed pressed tend to be flat with thinner petals. You should also consider what flowers will keep their colours best, but we’ll give you some recommendations on the most suitable varieties:

Pansy plants
Viola plants
Wildflower plants
Lobelia plants
Delphinium plants
Cosmos plants
Daisy plants

How to Press Flowers

Let’s get to how exactly you can preserve the beauty and vibrance of your flowers forever. Before you start, you’ll need to find a heavy book and a newspaper for pressing.

Start by selecting your flowers and carefully separating your chosen section from the plant.
Next, open your book and place your newspaper inside to protect its pages.
Lay your flowers flat on the newspaper and slowly close your book on your flowers.
You may want to apply some additional pressure to your book by weighing it down with a heavier object.
Set your book, newspaper and flower pressings aside in a safe, dry place for the process to take place gradually. The warmer the location, the quicker your flowers will dry and the better they will maintain their colour.
After a couple of days, when your flowers are completely dry, gently remove them from your book.
From there, you’re free to present your pressed flowers around the home in whatever way you see fit – but if you need some inspiration, we can help you out.

What to Do with Pressed Flowers

Just like arranging eye-catching bouquets of fresh blooms, there are endless possibilities for displaying your pressed flowers. Whether you’re looking to log what you’ve grown in your home garden or are creating a handmade, homegrown gardening gift for a loved one, we have plenty of suggestions.

Framing Pressed Flowers

We don’t need to tell you that your garden is something to be proud of. So, whilst we’re sure you’ve got plenty of eye-catching bouquets dotted around your living space, why not mount some of your pressed flowers in frames throughout your home?

You’ll need to start by glueing your pressed flowers to a piece of card. We recommend using PVA glue rather than Cellotape, as it will allow your flowers to maintain their colour better. Take the time to position your flowers perfectly and allow the glue to dry before framing your piece of card.

Create Cards

Share the beauty of your garden with others by sending greeting cards adorned with your pressed flowers. As mentioned, glue your flowers to the card with PVA glue. Give your card plenty of time to dry before putting it into an envelope and sending it to ensure your flower maintains its shape and position on the card.

Journal

One of our personal favourite suggestions for what to do with pressed flowers is to create a journal. Gardens carry lots of memories, so keep a sentimental record of seasons gone by by creating a journal of your pressed flowers. You can get creative once you’ve glued your flowers into the book. Note the type of flowers, when they were grown, and perhaps even some memories of when they were in your beds. Flowers may die, but with a pressed flower journal, your memories of growing them can remain in bloom forever.

Shop Flowers at Johnsons.

Now that we’ve given you some guidance on how to press flowers and some inspiration on what to do with pressed flowers, it’s time to update your garden with Johnsons. We have endless premium flower seeds, flower bulbs and gardening essentials to help you grow the most vibrant blooms in your growing space. Look at our range today, and look forward to showcasing stunning pressed flowers around your home.