Preserving the last flowers of the year
By October, the hedgerows have begun to change. The lush greens of summer are giving way to russet, gold and brown, the brambles are heavy with fruit, and many of our familiar wildflowers have finished flowering. Yet there are still plenty of botanical treasures to be found.
Autumn is a wonderful time to gather material for flower pressing. The last blooms of the season, delicate seed heads, grasses and colourful leaves can all be preserved between sheets of paper, ready to use in artwork, handmade cards, journals and other botanical projects.
Flower pressing is a simple craft, requiring little more than patience and a few basic materials. It also encourages us to look more closely at the plants growing around us, noticing the small details that might otherwise go unnoticed.
What can you press in autumn?
Although we tend to associate pressed flowers with spring and summer, October offers a surprisingly varied collection of plants.
Late-flowering plants
Some wildflowers continue blooming well into autumn, particularly during mild weather.
- Yarrow: Its flattened clusters of tiny flowers make it particularly suitable for pressing. Look for white or pale pink blooms.
- Red clover: Late flowers can still be found in sheltered grassland. Individual florets or smaller flower heads are easier to press than thick, mature heads.
- Common knapweed: The purple flower heads can be pressed, although their substantial bases take longer to dry.
- Daisies: These familiar little flowers often continue blooming through autumn and are excellent for beginners.
- Harebells: Their delicate blue petals are beautiful when pressed, although their colour can fade.
Garden flowers are equally useful. Cosmos, violas, calendula and the last small roses can all make lovely additions to an autumn collection.
Autumn leaves
One of the pleasures of October is the extraordinary variety of leaf colours.
Field maple leaves turn golden yellow, while beech leaves develop warm copper and bronze tones. Bramble leaves can take on beautiful shades of crimson, orange and purple.
Choose leaves that are still reasonably fresh and supple. Those that have become brittle or begun to decay are less likely to press successfully.
Grasses, ferns and seed heads
Not everything in a flower press needs to be a flower.
Fine grasses, small fern fronds and delicate seed heads can produce some of the most interesting botanical compositions.
Look for slender grass stems, the feathery remains of flowering plants and the intricate outlines of leaves.
Avoid thick, fleshy seed heads or berries, which contain too much moisture to dry reliably in a traditional flower press.
How to press autumn flowers and leaves
The process is straightforward, although a little care when selecting and arranging your specimens will make a considerable difference to the finished results.
1. Collect your specimens
Choose flowers and leaves on a dry day, preferably once the morning dew has evaporated.
Wet material takes longer to dry and is more susceptible to mould.
Your own garden is a good place to start. Gather only small quantities where you have permission, leave plenty for wildlife, and do not collect rare or protected plants or pick on nature reserves. Fallen leaves are often enough for a useful autumn collection.
2. Prepare the flowers
Remove any damaged petals and gently shake away insects.
For thicker flowers, you may need to remove some of the bulky central material or press individual petals separately.
Arrange the specimens in the position you'd like them to retain. Once dried, they will become fragile and difficult to reposition.
3. Arrange between absorbent paper
Place the flowers between sheets of clean, absorbent, uncoated paper.
Leave a little space between each specimen to prevent overlapping and allow moisture to escape.
Blotting paper is particularly useful, although other suitable absorbent papers can also work.
4. Place in your flower press
Sandwich the paper between the layers of your flower press and tighten it evenly.
The aim is to hold the specimens flat while the paper gradually absorbs their moisture.
Our handmade wooden flower press has five pressing layers, so you can arrange several sheets of flowers and leaves in one press.
5. Allow to dry
Drying can take anything from a few days to several weeks, depending on the plant, its thickness and the conditions in your home. Allow plenty of time, and judge the specimens by how dry they feel rather than the calendar.
Check the specimens after the first day or two and replace any damp paper. Continue changing the paper as needed, particularly for thicker flowers.
Keep your press somewhere dry, with good air circulation, away from excessive heat and direct sunlight.
The specimens are ready when they feel completely dry and papery.
Keeping the colours of autumn
One of the challenges of flower pressing is retaining the original colours of the plants.
Some flowers preserve their colours beautifully, while others fade or darken as they dry. Autumn leaves can be particularly unpredictable, with brilliant reds sometimes turning brown.
There are a few things you can do to improve your results.
Begin with fresh, undamaged material, press it as soon as possible after collecting, and ensure the paper remains dry.
Once pressed, keep your specimens away from direct sunlight, which can cause further fading.
Some colour changes are inevitable, but they are also part of the character of naturally preserved plants.
What to make with your pressed flowers
Pressed flowers and leaves can be used in all sorts of creative projects.
You might arrange a small collection in a nature journal, noting where and when each specimen was gathered. A few autumn leaves can be used to decorate handmade greetings cards, bookmarks or gift tags.
Pressed botanicals also make beautiful framed arrangements, particularly when grouped by colour or collected from a particular place.
For those who enjoy drawing or painting, they provide useful references for studying the shapes and structures of plants long after the growing season has ended.
You could even begin a seasonal herbarium, adding a few carefully labelled specimens each month to create a record of the changing countryside throughout the year.
A handmade flower press
Here at Hedgerow & Moor, we make our own traditional wooden flower presses, designed for preserving flowers, leaves and other delicate botanical specimens.
Each 20cm × 20cm press is individually hand painted and has five pressing layers, cartridge paper and corrugated cardboard inserts, secured with six wing nuts and bolts. You can use it throughout the year for garden flowers, leaves and other small botanical specimens.
I'm currently making a fresh batch, ready for the autumn season.
See our handmade wooden flower press
For further practical guidance, see Kew's guide to pressing flowers and the RHS guide to pressing herbarium specimens.