During autumn and winter, we are accustomed to bringing natural elements into the home. Foraged pine cones, piles of firewood and the fresh smell of fir all bring that comfort of nature we look for in the darker, colder months.

For this reason, I’ve started to incorporate more dried and faux flowers into displays for low maintenance, year-round flora and fauna. Autumn is the perfect time of year to start introducing new decorative elements to your home and if you’re yet to explore the world of faux and dried flora, here are a few tips and ideas to help you get started.

Why you should try out faux flowers

Faux flowers and botanicals are increasingly popular but finding ones which are true to nature can be a bit of a mission. However, I’ve found some really natural-looking, high-quality stems which I’m excited to introduce to our collection. 

We’re dipping our toes into the world of faux botanicals with these stems of gum blossom. Gum flowers are native to Australia and popular to use in floral decorations and bouquets there. However they’re less commonly found here in the UK, so a faux bunch of these stems make a sustainable way of enjoying exotic flowers which will last in your home decor as well.

The perfect tones for autumn, these gum blossoms make for a dramatic display on their own in our new tall ravello vase or can be mixed with dried flowers and foliage such as eucalyptus to bring some variety to your displays.

Dried flowers for autumn

For dried flowers, now is the perfect time to wander through the garden and find stand out blooms to create a dried flower bouquet for your home. Hydrangeas are my favourite flowers to dry as they maintain their gorgeous hues and make effective, pretty displays.

Above I have styled some dried hydrangea in our shorter charcoal ravello pot but we have plenty of pots in neutral tones to work with any colour palette:

Rustic black Delphi pot - £15

Rustic style dark grey ceramic pot - £26

Vintage stoneware storage jars - from £16

Glass bud vase - £10

Make your own dried flowers at home

There are a few ways to dry flowers at home. The first, most traditional and easiest option is to air dry them. Below are some steps and tips to help you create your own dried flowers at home:

1. Find flowers which are as young as possible in their bloom cycle so they don’t lose their petals in the drying process.
2. Ensure you pick flowers early in the morning, before the petals are fully open.
3. Find a dry, dark and well-ventilated spot to hang and dry the flowers. You could use an airing cupboard or wardrobe where there’s extra space.

Now, into the actual drying process!

1. When you’ve got your selection of flowers, remove excess foliage and cut the stems to the desired length.
2. Secure the flowers in bunches of 8-10 stems with a rubber band.
3. Hang the bunches upside down from a wardrobe rail or hanger using string. Dental floss can be a great option if you can’t find any string!
4. Wait two to three weeks until the flowers are completely dry.
5. Before setting the flowers up to display, spritz with hairspray to maintain their longevity.

Not all flowers work equally when it comes to the drying process, but I’d recommend just testing the process with flowers you like from your garden. If you’re buying flowers especially to dry, hydrangea, roses, lavender and pansies are great options.