BB+ Episode 14: Bex Partridge on Everlasting Flowers
Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple Podcast | Google Podcast | Spotify
TODAY’S GUEST: Bex Partridge | Botanical Tales
TOPIC: Growing, Harvesting, and Creating with Everlasting Flowers
Today I’m visiting with Bex Partridge, owner of Botanical Tales in Farnham, UK. Bex is a floral artist and published author specializing in everlasting flowers. I’m thrilled that she agreed to walk us through her process of growing, cutting, and drying flowers. And she’s sharing tips on designing with everlasting flowers. Be sure to check out the end of the show notes to learn how you can enter to win a copy of her new book Everlastings: How to Grow, Harvest and Create with Dried Flowers. I’m hoping our conversation will open new avenues of creativity and maybe even a new income stream for some of you!
Methods for Drying Flowers:
- Air Drying
- Pressing
- Silica Gel
Sampling of Flowers Recommended by Bex for Drying:
- Helichrysum
- Statice
- Peony
- Tulip
- Rudbeckia
- Echinacea
- Cosmos
- Dahlia (some varieties)
Caring for Everlasting Flowers:
- Keep out of intense heat and direct sunlight
- Store by laying the blooms out in a box using tissue paper and include a silica gel packet to draw out moisture during storage
- Store in a dry temperate place
- Avoid storing for extended lengths of time before designing with the blooms
- Avg. Drying Time: 2-3 weeks (peonies take longer)
- Read more here
Advantages of Using Everlasting Flowers:
- Extends the season for designers (by allowing them to design with everlasting flowers during winter months)
- Sustainable sourcing
- Longevity in designs
- Can be combined with fresh flowers
- Offers a way to create long lasting displays in retail spaces to showcase products and brands
- Flower farmers can dry and then sell blooms they weren’t able to sell fresh
Bex’s Suggestions for Adding Movement to a Design:
- Love Lies Bleeding
- Canary Grass
- Fountain Grass
- Quaking Grass
- Alchemilla mollis
- Gypsophila
UPDATE: Winners chosen 8/16/2020 and contacted by email! Thank to all who entered! Contest is now CLOSED.
Enter to win a copy of Everlastings: How to Grow, Harvest and Create with Dried Flowers:
- Leave a comment below.
- That’s it! Easy Peasy!
- Deadline for entry: 11:59 pm Central Time on Sunday, August 16, 2020.
- Winners will be chosen by random drawing and notified on August 17, 2020 via email.
- Contest open to residents of the US and Europe.
See more work by Bex here:
Website | Instagram | IGTV | Pinterest | Twitter
Host: Amy McGee (Botanical Brouhaha)
BB Podcast Sound Engineer: Joel McGee
Music Written & Performed by: Landon McGee
Images 3 & 4: Laura Edwards Photography
Mentioned in this episode: Natalie Gill | Native Poppy (Hear Natalie Gill on the BB Podcast. Click here.)
Comments:
Leave a Reply
Share your Thoughts:
Subscribe and stay connected
This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. It is being made available in an effort to provide educational information about all things related to floral design and production. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is available for viewing without profit to those who have an interest in reading or viewing the website information for educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. If your copyrighted material appears on this web site and you disagree with our assessment that it constitutes "fair use," please contact us and we will remove it from our site.
I’d love to jump into this book and learn more about the drying process! I love the idea of using dried and pressed flowers in my artwork and using leftover blooms to make something beautiful. Thank you for the chance~!
Loved this episode. So informative and creative. Would love a copy of Bex’s book
Loved this episode! I’ve been drying flowers for home decor and it was so helpful to hear her methods and new flowers to try drying!
I am about to dry sooooo many flowers 🧚🏻
Flowers are magic
Would love to learn more about how to arrange dried blooms
Her stuff is so good. I’ve been trying to figure out how to supplement income during the winter months. Would love to win this.
Relatively new to the podcasts! Really enjoying them and this one was inspiring to keep on creating even after the flower season!
I am in Canada which is neither America nor Europe but does it help that my Mum’s parents were English and my Dad’s American? Lol
I would LOVE to win this and would be ever so grateful!
This episode got me excited about growing new varieties to dry, and to dry some I already grow as a fairly new (3 years) flower farmer. I’m hooked and I haven’t even started yet!
Love to dry flowers
Have loved dried flowers in wreaths for a long time but you give if a fresh, modern twist! Love it!
One of my favourite BB episodes yet for sure. I’m really inspired by your work, Bex. It’s a great strategy to find a way to work with flowers, spread the flower joy and still respect the challenges in sustainability the florist industry has to grapple with. I loved your perspective on this and can’t wait to do some of my own experimenting with a modern aesthetic take on dried flowers. Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing your perspective so generously. Great interview, as always, Amy! 🙂
Absolutely beautiful! I would be thrilled to learn more.!
Looks like a great book. I would love to have it. Found a great idea already from the comments above.
I’ve already started drying flowers and creating and LOVE Bex’s work. The book would be a wonderful tool for inspiration and valuable instruction. 🌸
Loved this episode! Important conversation topics including the sustainability side of dried flowers with the idea that they can carry over in winter when fresh flowers aren’t available locally. I will also be trying to dry larger blooms standing up! Hadn’t ever heard of that and it makes so much sense.
I’ve been pressing and framing flowers, whether for sentimental purposes or simply for a creative outlet, and I am so excited to learn new varieties, methods, and designs to try! Thank you for the chance and inspiration!
Love the designs, would love to know more about preserving and arranging dried flowers.
Just started drying flowers and would love to learn more!!!
Oh my! This book sounds like every flower grower should have it — would love to win it. Thanks for offering this giveaway. Listening to the podcast now as I cook a late lunch. 🙂
I would love to learn more about designing with dry flowers and varieties best to grow for drying!
I’ve been following Bex and as time has passed I’ve realised how there are depths and shades to her that make her even more interesting. She likes or appreciates those that are a little broken and she has a political mind and empathy with integrity. I first dropped by here after listening to Swancottage flowers .
Here is a detailed list of how to written and in the spoken word to savour and inspire . Keep it up .
Nicky P
This pandemic has me revisiting my love of gardening. I need to learn how to preserve the flowers that are good for that, and how to use them more and MORE in design work! Thanks for featuring Bex 😊
This is just wonderful and as florists something we’re trying to learn and incorporate into our business more and more as we find sustainable ways to produce designs through the winter months. The more publicity talented passionate people like Bex get the better for all of us, designers, consumers & the environment in a world that now more than ever needs better ways especially in the floral industry. Thanks for the fabulous podcasts, always a treat to download & listen as we work away under the Cumbria fells.
I would defs love to win this book to learn all about drying and designing! It’s just something I keep on admiring and probably time to start challenging myself.
I would love to receive this book! I am starting my own floral design home business with fresh and faux florals and am interested in learning more about drying flowers to use in my floral crafts and arrangements! Really enjoying the podcast too!
These are beautiful! Great interview!
Lovely!
Love dried flowers and would love to read this book ♥️♥️♥️
I am learning to grow more and more flowers that I can use in my wedding and everyday floral designs. I have just a small bit of land so I can’t grow a lot of stems. I hate that so many blooms go to waste as they may hit their peak when I don’t have anything scheduled for their use. By learning to dry them and use them in my work I can make their little lives have the chance for enjoyment last longer!