The Simple Magic of Drying Proteas
Proteas are simply divine out in the paddock, standing proud and striking in their natural form. They’re gorgeous gathered into a posies or bouquet, perfect when showcased on their own, and just as beautiful when dried. Their ability to hold their character through every stage is one of the many reasons we adore them.
We’ve only had the chance to dry a few of our blooms so far, experimenting with a couple of different methods. From what we’ve seen, allowing them to dry naturally—in their upright position—seems to work also. This gentle approach lets the petals fade softly rather than losing their vibrancy all at once.
We’ve also tried hanging posies upside down, but found that many flowers lost most of their colour very quickly and but the shape stays a little more compact. This has been the case so far with the King Pink Protea, Little Prince Protea, paper daisies, and lavender.
Drying them upright is wonderfully simple: enjoy them fresh in a vase, and then allow the water to run dry when you are ready. Just make sure they’re kept in a well-ventilated space while they transition. That’s really all there is to it.
Keep in mind, we’ve only managed to dry a small number of our flowers—there usually aren’t many leftovers to play with! So we always encourage you to run your own tests and see what works best for you. Every bloom, every season, and every space is a little different, and that’s part of the fun.
