Dried Flowers
The Timeless Beauty of Dried Flowers
The art of drying flowers stretches back thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians used dried blooms in garlands, burial rites, and religious ceremonies, seeing them as symbols of eternity. In Rome, archaeologists discovered preserved flowers in tombs over 2,000 years old, still intact though faded. Across China and Japan, dried flowers became part of medicine, fragrance, and even artistic traditions, with Japan developing pressed flower art as a cultural practice.
During the Middle Ages, dried flowers were valued for their medicinal properties and often used in herbal remedies. By the Victorian era, flower pressing and preservation flourished as a popular pastime, with floriography — the “language of flowers” — allowing people to send symbolic messages through carefully chosen blooms.
Today, dried flowers remain timeless. They connect us to centuries of tradition while offering sustainable beauty that lasts long after the garden rests. At Honest Desires Farm, we continue this heritage by growing flowers specifically chosen for drying, ensuring their color, shape, and meaning endure.
There Is Meaning Behind Flowers (Floriography)
Floriography, or the “language of flowers,” is the art of assigning symbolic meanings to blooms. This tradition dates back centuries, but it became especially popular during the Victorian era, when people used flowers to send secret messages that words could not express. A carefully chosen bouquet could convey love, friendship, remembrance, or even caution.
Here are a few examples of flower meanings:
- Rose: Love, passion, or friendship, depending on its color (red for romance, yellow for friendship, white for purity).
- Sunflower: Loyalty, adoration, and positivity — always turning toward the light.
- Forget‑Me‑Not: Remembrance, lasting connection, and true love.
- Marigold: Warmth, creativity, and resilience, often linked to the sun.
- Cosmos: Harmony, peace, and balance.
- Zinnia: Endurance, lasting affection, and thoughts of absent friends.
- Bachelor Button: Hope, devotion, and delicacy.
- Celosia: Boldness, uniqueness, and affection.
- Black‑Eyed Susan: Encouragement, justice, and motivation.
At Honest Desires Farm, we grow flowers not only for their beauty but also for the stories they carry. When dried, these blooms retain their color and meaning, allowing you to enjoy their symbolism for years to come.
About Our Flowers
At Honest Desires Farm, we grow flowers with intention — each variety chosen for its ability to dry beautifully and hold its color, shape, and texture for years to come. Our gardens are filled with blooms like strawflowers, paper daisies, statice, angel wing, sea holly, eucalyptus, ornamental grasses, black‑eyed Susans, snapdragons, marigolds, celosia, sunflowers, baby’s breath, zinnias, roses, calendula, cornflowers, billy balls, wild grasses, pansies, and dahlias — each grown for the best possible color and drying qualities.
Every flower is harvested at the precise stage that preserves its natural beauty, then dried using the method that suits it best. Some blooms are air‑dried to maintain their delicate form, while others are hung upside down to lock in vibrancy. We also use techniques like silica drying, pressing, and specialized preservation methods to ensure each stem retains its unique character.
With this care, our dried flowers are everblooming. They don’t wilt, they don’t fade quickly, and they carry the season’s beauty long after the garden rests. Each stem holds a story — resilience, joy, remembrance, or harmony — and by drying them with intention, we allow those stories to endure.
Most of our harvest is used in botanical art pieces and hands‑on workshops, where guests learn the craft of preservation and design. When we have extra stems, we offer them in small seasonal batches, giving our community the chance to bring home a piece of the farm. Our dream is to one day grow enough to offer wholesale dried flowers, ensuring that timeless blooms remain accessible for florists, artists, and families who cherish their enduring beauty.
Enjoying and Preserving Dried Flowers
Dried flowers are easy to care for, and with a bit of attention, they can stay beautiful for years, bringing joy season after season. Our eco‑friendly approach ensures each bloom is treated with sustainability in mind. Keep them out of direct sunlight to prevent fading, avoid humid spots like bathrooms or kitchens, and gently dust them with a soft brush or a hair dryer on a cool setting. Handle them gently, as their stems are delicate — and they’ll keep rewarding you with lasting beauty.
Dried blooms aren’t just long‑lasting—they’re wonderfully versatile. At Honest Desires Farm in Medina County, we grow and craft eco‑friendly dried‑flower bouquets, bundles, and arrangements for decor and gifts, as well as pressed flowers that keep their beauty for years. Our dried flowers add timeless charm to shelves, mantels, and table settings, while also sparking creativity in resin art, pressed‑flower cards, wreaths, garlands, and handmade gifts. They can preserve special memories by framing wedding or event bouquets, bring seasonal touches to your home, and even serve as fun, hands‑on learning tools for homeschoolers and curious kids exploring botany.
At Honest Desires Farm, we believe dried flowers are more than a trend — they’re a timeless way to celebrate the beauty of each season, offering both artistry and meaning that lasts.