Through dessication, special flowers and the memories they hold can be preserved for years. | Cara Smith/The Cougar
This Valentine’s Day, maybe your significant presented you with a fantastic bouquet or a heartfelt note attached to the stem of a single flower.
Preserving these flowers and the memories attached to them is easily possible through a process known as desiccation, which draws moisture out of plants and flowers while preserving the structure and color. Through desiccation, special flowers can be preserved in their original, pristine state, if done properly.
Some methods are more surefire than others, but none have a 100 percent success rate. Try at your own risk!
Create a mixture that is half-Borax, half-cornmeal. Add a few tablespoons of salt to preserve the flowers’ colors.
Stick to three or fewer flowers so that they can easily fit in a container with an air-tight lid. Make sure to cut the stems so that they fit in the container you’re using, with an inch left for the bottom.
Fill the container with about an inch of the mixture. Keeping the flower or flowers in place, pour the rest of the mixture around them and between the petals.
When the flowers are completely covered, cover the container with a lid and store it in a dry, stable place.
Check every three or four days to see if the flowers are papery and dry. If so, pour out the desiccant gently, catching the flowers in your hands. Use a soft brush to get rid of desiccant between the petals.
Put them on display in a glass dish or on an undisturbed part of your bookshelf to enjoy their preserved beauty.
