Nowadays, dried flowers and dried bouquets are on trend! Dried roses are a natural decoration that you can make yourself, much nicer than artificial roses. It's also a way to preserve a beautiful bouquet that you were given for longer, whether for a wedding, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day or any other festive occasion, and that holds a special place in your heart as a lovely keepsake. If you're a rose lover, you might be wondering how to dry them without altering them too much and how to preserve them for a very long time. Discover our tips on drying roses, whatever the variety, with florist secrets for creating pretty floral arrangements and decorating your interiors.

dried rose bouquet, tutorial and tips for drying roses

Bouquet of dried white roses

1. When to dry a rose?

It's best to dry a rose before it fully opens, whether you pick it from your garden or want to dry the roses from a bouquet you already have in a vase.

2. How to pick fresh roses for drying?

  • Pick roses just before they bloom
  • Select the most beautiful and healthiest flowers
  • Cut the stems to the desired length (usually 15 cm) using secateurs
  • Remove all the foliage
dried roses, picking roses to dry

These roses were picked before they fully opened

3. How to dry roses naturally?

  • Gather the roses you want to dry into a bouquet or dry each rose individually. In both cases, the technique is the same. Tie them together if needed with an elastic band, string or raffia.
  • Then simply hang the roses on a washing line with pegs, on hangers or from a beam, upside down, in a dry, dark place like an attic or dry barn. The area should still be well-ventilated. The absence of sun and light will allow the rose to dry without fading.
  • Wait until the roses are dry before retrieving them.
dried roses, how to dry roses

Roses hung individually

4. How to make a dried rose bouquet?

When your rose bouquet is almost in full bloom, take it out of the vase, pat the stems dry and hang it upside down in a dry, dark place as you would with freshly picked roses.

5. How to dry roses with silica gel?

  • Another option to preserve colours: drying with silica gel.
  • Choose an airtight container and place a layer of silica gel at the bottom.
  • Place your roses on this first layer.
  • Cover them with a second layer of silica gel.
  • Close the container and wait a few days for the gel to dehydrate the flowers.
  • Retrieve the dried roses after a few days, wearing gloves to remove any remaining gel.

You can also use sand instead of silica gel to absorb moisture from the roses.

dried roses, drying roses with silica gel, absorbing moisture from roses

Silica gel beads

6. How to dry a rose in a book?

  • Choose a heavy, thick book like an encyclopedia or dictionary.
  • Place your rose in absorbent paper, then slide it between the pages of the book and press firmly.
  • Stack other books on top to keep the encyclopedia tightly closed.
  • Check occasionally that your rose isn't sticking to the paper or book pages.
  • After several days, it should be dry.

The downside is that this method flattens and deforms the roses.

dried roses, drying roses, roses pressed in a book

7. How to preserve dried roses?

  • To best preserve your roses' colours, protect them from light. It's therefore advisable to avoid direct sunlight and overly bright areas.
  • To prevent excessive dust buildup on your dried roses, you can gently dust them with a hairdryer on a cool, low setting.
  • To keep your dried roses as long as possible, avoid exposing them to moisture and store them in a dry room.
  • Finally, hairspray can help protect and preserve them longer. Once your roses are dry, you can lightly spray them with hairspray.

8. How to use dried roses?

  • You can place your dried rose bouquet in an empty vase as decoration.
  • You can also cut the stems and keep just the flowers to make potpourri to display in a beautiful glass bowl or pretty jar.
  • Use your dried roses to make wreaths or garlands as wall decorations, on furniture or even as a crown to wear for a party or event.
  • Finally, you can play florist and create a floral arrangement to impress your guests.
drying roses, decoration with dried roses

Roses in potpourri or on a wreath, perfect for rustic or romantic decor

9. How to make dried rose petals?

  • You can choose to collect petals from your roses and dry them. To do this, select fully bloomed roses and gently detach the petals.
  • Place them on a flat surface in a dry, dark place like an attic.
  • Make sure the petals don't touch each other and turn them occasionally.
  • Drying takes several days or even weeks depending on where you store them.
  • Another option: dry the petals using a dehydrator, following the appliance's instructions.

Now you can make potpourri, flower bouquets, floral arrangements (with dried perennials or grasses for example) or decorations with your dried rose petals.
You can also add them to your bath if you fancy trying it!

Discover our complete rose collection too!