The best part about handcrafted flowers is that they never wilt. The second best part is how little they ask of you — no water, no trimming, no watching them fade. Just a few small habits to keep them looking exactly as they did on day one.
1. Keep them out of direct sunlight
This is the single most useful thing you can do. Strong, direct sun will slowly lighten any coloured fibre over months — the same way it fades a curtain or a cushion cover.
A spot with plenty of indirect daylight is perfect: a shelf across from a window, a study table, a console in the hallway. Bright room, just not in the beam.
2. Dust gently, and dust often
Dust is the only real enemy. Because petals have texture, they collect a fine layer over time, which dulls the colour before you consciously notice it.
Any one of these works well, roughly once a fortnight:
- A clean, dry make-up brush or soft paintbrush — best for detailed petals
- A hairdryer on cool setting, held at arm's length
- A quick, gentle shake, held upside down over a bin
Work from the centre of the bloom outwards, following the direction of the petals rather than against them.
3. Keep them dry
Handcrafted flowers don't need water — and they'd rather not meet any. Avoid bathrooms, kitchen windowsills above the sink, and anywhere that gets steam or splashes. Damp fibre can flatten and, in humid months, hold on to a musty smell.
If a piece does get slightly damp, sit it somewhere airy and let it dry naturally. Don't press it with a cloth — that flattens the texture.
No water, no sunlight, no fuss — just a gentle dust now and then.
4. Reshape with your fingers
Petals and leaves are built around a bendable core, which means anything that gets squashed in transit or knocked by a sleeve can be fixed in seconds. Simply open the petals back out with your fingertips and re-curve them into the shape you want. You genuinely cannot get this wrong.
Stems can be gently bent too, so feel free to fan a bouquet wider or draw it tighter to suit where it's standing.
5. Storing a bouquet away
If a piece is seasonal — a festival arrangement, or a wedding keepsake you only display sometimes — store it standing upright in a box, loosely covered with tissue. Two things to avoid:
- Sealed plastic bags, which trap moisture
- Stacking anything heavy on top, which crushes the blooms flat
Displaying them beautifully
A few things we've learned from photographing our own work: handcrafted flowers look their best against a plain wall, grouped in odd numbers, and raised slightly to eye level. A narrow-necked vase holds stems upright without needing filler — and unlike fresh flowers, you can leave the arrangement exactly as it is, indefinitely.
Look after them this simply and there's no reason a piece shouldn't look beautiful for years. That's rather the point of it.