Drying flowers is an age-old technique that involves the removal of moisture from fresh blooms to preserve them. Methods of drying includes, including air-drying, pressing, and using desiccants like silica gel. Preserved flowers on the other hand are made by treating fresh flowers with a series of complex processes such as dehydration, decolourisation, drying and dyeing.
Dried flowers maintain their natural appearance and often have a delicate, papery texture. Preserved flowers retain their soft, supple feel and vibrant colors for months or even years. They look and feel like fresh flowers, creating lasting impressions.If you prefer a vintage, rustic look, dried flowers may suit your taste. Conversely, if you fancy a fresh and lifelike appearance, preserved flowers are the clear winner.
Depending on environment, dried flowers may have a shorter longevity in comparison to preserved flowers. Dried flowers can become moldy when conditions are humid. This is especially so in Singapore, where humidity is high. Humidity causes preserved flowers to deteriorate in a different manner, where they will turn translucent. However, this can be fixed by placing the flowers next to a dehumidifier.
The decision between dried and preserved flowers ultimately depends on your specific needs and preferences. Dried flowers will be a better fit for a more rustic and natural aesthetic. Preserved flowers are the ones to pick if you desire long-lasting blooms with vibrant colors and even colours that are only achievable by colour dye. One does not necessarily have to make a choice between the two beauties. Sometimes, a mix of both flower types will create a good balance of a floral arrangement with vibrancy and rustic aesthetic. Whimsical Emporium often uses both dried and preserved flowers to craft our floral arrangements, having the best of both worlds.
The usage of the two types of flowers will largely depend on your aesthetic preferences. So let your creativity bloom and use the floral materials that best suit your vision and revel in the everlasting allure of nature’s creation.
]]>White Tulips
Tulips signifies new beginnings and the season of Spring. White is associated with purity. Hence, white tulips are the perfect apology flowers for gifting. Plus, white tulips are elegant and subtle. It wouldn’t rouse the attention of prying colleagues if you are planning to send them to the office of the person concerned.
Lilies
Lilies represents humility and devotion. It is also known for its majestic beauty in Greek tradition. As a floral gift, Lilies are suitable for both genders and all ages. However, do make sure that the recipient is not allergic to pollen or sensitive to the fragrance of flowers as some may find its scent overpowering.
Roses
Red roses are the universal way to express affection and love. It is one of the best ways to extend apologies for your loved one. Red roses are however mainly for lovers. For friends, yellow roses are well suited to fix a disagreement. Friendships are beautiful so a sincere gift would patch things up!
Orchids
Orchids represents sincerity and care. They are long lasting and exotic in nature, the perfect gift for those who love elegance as well.
The gift may be important, but the meaning behind the gift is paramount. Be sincere. An apology message does not have to be fanciful to be effective. Sometimes, conveying a true expression of regret is more compelling. You may or may not earn forgiveness. But, by taking the first step to fix the relationship and open the doors to communication, you stand a better chance than not trying at all.
]]>Hydrangeas are a very popular choice for gifting due to their large beautiful blooms. The name of hydrangea came from the Greek word “hydor”, which means water, and “angors”, which means jar or vessel. It was named this way due to its resemblance to an ancient water pitcher. Plus, it is rather the perfect name for hydrangeas as they require plenty of water and moisture to be happy and blooming.
Hydrangeas has been historically significant in Japan, where it was first cultivated. Blooming during the rainy season, they transform places like the Meigetsuin Temple into a hydrangea heaven. It has even become a must-visit place for hydrangea appreciation! Legends has it that a Japanese emperor gifted hydrangea to the family of a girl he loved as an apology for neglecting her.
The Japanese were not the only ones who have enjoyed the vibrant colours of hydrangeas for centuries. Hydrangeas are also found in North America and Europe. With the world becoming more interconnected due to globalisation and international trade, the flowers can now be enjoyed everywhere in the world.
The symbolism of hydrangeas remains debatable. Japanese contemporary florists often use hydrangeas to portray genuine and pure emotions. Their European counterparts in the Victorian era thought otherwise, where hydrangeas were sent to label someone as a braggart. Victorian men also send hydrangeas to women after getting rejected to suggest that they are frigid. What poor taste! Despite the opposing views in the meaning of hydrangeas, there is however a consensus that hydrangeas are flowers to symbolise the 4th wedding anniversary, having symbolic meanings such as devotion, understanding and thankfulness.
Pink hydrangeas are often linked to love and romance. Purple hydrangeas are often given to indicate a desire for gaining deeper understanding of another or to symbolise abundance and wealth. White hydrangeas symbolises purity, innocence and grace. It could also mean arrogance and vanity as well. Blue hydrangeas are connected to gratitude, understanding and apology, it could also mean frigidity.
Despite all these variations in symbolism, hydrangeas are a popular choice for many floral arrangements due to its beauty. They look like a bunch of butterflies flying together!
]]>You can keep your favourite blooms for as long as you want to keep them when flowers are dried.
Drying by microwave
Firstly, flowers can be dried by microwaving them. Place the flowers, one at a time into a container that is safe for microwaving. Next, cover them completely with silica gel to absorb the moisture. Microwave it on high temperature for about 3 minutes. Once it is cooled, check the flower. Once its petals appear dry, re-bury it and leave for 24 hours. This step is to ensure that the flower is completely dry. Finally, brush off the silica gel with a brush.
Air drying flowers
To begin, remove extra foliage from flower stems. For those who likes the look of the foliage, it is alright to leave some on the stem as they will dry too. Next, bunch the flowers as desired and tie strings around the base of the stems. Hang them upside down in a dark and well-ventilated environment. Any direct light will cause the colours of the flowers to fade. Leave them for three to four weeks to dry. Thereafter, you can display them!
Drying flowers in silica sand
To ensure that your flowers are preserved in pristine colour, you can leave the flowers to dry in the silica sand without microwaving them. You will be able to use a larger container that allow you to keep the stems long. Place the flowers in the container and cover them with silica sand. As you pour the sand, use a slim tool like a stick to carefully support the flower. When the flowers are dry after 2 weeks, tip the box to allow the sand to slowly pour out of one corner. Next, lift the flower in the same direction as the flowing sand to avoid damaging the flower. Finally, brush off the silica sand with a brush.
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During the circuit breaker, many had looked for ways to connect with their loved ones. One of the most popular way is to surprise our family and friends with food deliveries. Singaporeans just cannot resist the temptations of food! Even as Phase 2 had started, some of us continue to stay at home more often, be it due to being accustomed to the lifestyle after months of circuit breaker or simply being cautious by reducing social interactions. Other ways to connect with our dear family and friends include sending them flowers to celebrate important occasions or cheering them up by sending a surprise bouquet. Flowers are a classic way of expressing our emotions to our loved ones and will never go out of style. Furthermore, flowers can spruce up our living environment!
It is indeed worthy of a rejoice as lovers can finally meet after months of virtual meeting and texting. Others finally see their colleagues and can enjoy the camaraderie of hustling alongside with their counterparts again. Here are some of our specially curated floral arrangements from the past week.
First up, it is a re-edition of our Bambalina Bloom Box! The sender wanted to gift a cream coloured palette with preserved garden roses to her dear friend. Next, we have a mother gifting a white hydrangea bouquet with purple roses for her daughter. Coincidentally, both recipients have the same name! Hope these flowers had brought them joy amidst this difficult time.
We are very grateful for all your support following the reopening of our business in June!
]]>The Egyptians were one of the first to recognise national plants. Lotus and Papyrus were the most iconic flowers that symbolised upper and lower Egypt. The blue water lily, also known as the blue lotus, is prominently featured on the pillars, stone alters and within the Egyptian temples. Although Egyptians favoured fresh flower arrangements, they were one of the first civilisations to immortalise them as artificial flowers made of more durable materials.
As the global transportation systems grew and the world became more interconnected, the dominant flowers Lotus and Papyrus were being replaced by newer imports from the East, especially Japan. The Japanese embraced the flower preservation through an art form known as Oshibana, which dates back as far as the 16th century. It is the craft of pressing flowers to preserve the beauty of flowers and branches to create an art on washi paper. Oshibana has evolved to include more than just pressed flower. It transforms a leaf into a tree and petals into mountains.
In another part of the world, a similar trend could be found in Victorian England. Victorians adore flowers. Fresh flowers were used to decorate their homes, and were also depicted in paintings, carvings, embroidery and clothing. As mentioned earlier, Oshibana was meticulous and skilled. As trade with the Japanese increases, the art became fashionable in Victorian England as well. Victorian women also used dried flowers to design pictures. They were being added to jewellery designs and fans. Pressing flowers was the quintessential past time for Victorian women. Flowers were often complimented with ribbons to create beautiful pictures. Other times, flowers were often slipped in between the pages of a book to preserved memories of a special day.
Dried flowers are now frequently used in bouquets, as they able to retain its beauty for a longer time and they are favourites of those who adores the rustic aesthetics!
]]>So you have received a bouquet of preserved flowers, how real and beautiful they look! And indeed, preserved flowers are real flowers that have undergone a chemical process to retain the integrity and beauty of the fresh cut flowers without a need for water (For those curious about what are preserved flowers, read here!). Preserved flowers can last up to a year. Its colour may fade over time; however, it will not wilt.
Although preserved flowers needn’t to be attended as carefully as fresh flowers, they still require some care to last longer.
Follow these tips and you can let your dried & preserved flowers last longer!
]]>Flowers may be ephemeral, but that didn’t stop mankind from attempting to preserve the beauty of flowers. The preservation of flowers dates back thousands of years where they were found in Egyptian tombs. One of the earliest methods of preserving flowers are through drying. However, air drying flowers causes them to lose their vibrancy, on top of becoming brittle. To combat these problems, new technologies to preserve flowers has been created, giving birth to a new type of flower, the preserved fresh flower.
Preserved flowers look and feel like fresh-cut flowers. They retain the integrity of fresh flowers and have more colours and last longer. The preserved fresh flowers are made from fresh-cut flowers. The selection of raw material is very stringent. Each flower is carefully selected and cut at the peak of their bloom. Other requirement includes having tough texture, thick petals and little moisture. The leaves of stems of the roses also need to be flexible and shapely.
After selecting the flowers, they are then treated by a series of complex processes such as dehydration, decolourisation, drying and dyeing. It is inevitable that the flower treated will lose its natural pigments, thus becoming translucent during its preservation process. In order to give the flowers a radiant colour, dyes are carefully added to the rehydration solution. This results in the myriad of colours of preserved flowers available, from classic red, dusty pink, electric blue and even rainbow-coloured! Lastly, the treated flowers, leaves and stems are put together by puncturing, pasting and sewing.
Whimsical Emporium then uses these preserved flowers sourced from our suppliers to craft them into bouquets and bloom boxes! There are many types of preserved flowers, such as roses, David Austin Roses, hydrangeas and carnations. We often incorporate these flowers with dried flowers in our creations.
There are many advantages of preserved flowers. Firstly, preserved flowers are made from real plants, thus being able to retain the integrity of fresh cut flowers with the help of modern technology. Preserved flowers also have a more consistent and vibrant colour. Most importantly, they have a long lifespan, in which they can last for up to years if well taken care of. Last but not least, they do not need to be watered, and cared for daily like a fresh living plant. (Although these preserved flowers do not need as much tender loving care as compared to its fresh counterparts, it does still require care such that they can last longer.) More information on preserved flower care can be found here.
]]>The widespread effects brought upon by the Covid-19 has brought parts of the world to a standstill. Here in Singapore, it has been announced that the circuit breaker implemented will be extended by another month as our country fight to overcome this crisis. Many businesses have halted operations due to a myriad of reasons, be it law imposed by the government or a large decrease in sales. The fate of businesses, especially small ones, remains a question unanswered.
Whimsical Emporium has halted our operations since April. It is unfortunate that our introductory post is rather somber. We are a young floral store that has only launched last August. Without experiences in business operations, we learnt along the way. Our recent milestone was Valentine’s day. It was a successful first Valentine’s despite battling the disruptions brought upon by the onset of Covid-19. From promotions and advertising, to liaising with customers, suppliers and couriers, we were glad that everything went smoothly. It is an achievement that we are proud of. It was a fun madness that came along with all the orders, with a few hours of sleep each day crafting every bouquet and making sure all queries were answered. What we were most worried about was the last mile delivery aspect, it was of utmost importance that the flowers were delivered timely to the recipients. We were finally relieved when the very last bouquet was successfully delivered.
The disruption of supply chains has severely impacted our cut flowers suppliers. With the cancellation of flights and closing of borders, exportation of cut flowers has become much harder. Demand for flowers has dramatically decreased due to shuttered floral stores and cancellations of events worldwide. This resulted in Dutch growers destroying millions of tulips in the middle of the tulips season. As the Covid-19 uproots the entire global trade in cut flowers, we can only hope that the situation would quickly normalize, and financial aid would come along the way for our cut flowers grower to tide them through this crisis.
Despite the gloom and doom about the imminent crash of the $8.5 billion global flower trade industry, we continue to be hopeful about the future with our unfounded optimism. We can’t wait to achieve more milestones while growing Whimsical Emporium as a brand. And most importantly, crafting more designs to bring happiness to your loved ones.
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You want to do something to surprise your girlfriend. You decided that its time to buy flowers for the special lady in your life. However, you are stumped by the myriad of choices of flowers and arrangements available in the market. And most importantly, when to buy her the flowers?
Upon receiving your bouquet of fresh flowers, you can help these beautiful flowers last longer with proper care. Whimsical Emporium uses the freshest flowers available to fill your bouquet. To increase the lifespan of these flowers in our local heat and humidity, we have some tips for you!