The Beauty of Dried Flowers With Carolyn Dunster, Author of 'Cut & Dry: The Modern Guide to Dried Flowers from Growing to Styling'

Flower arranging with sensual blooms is a wonderful way to incorporate life and beauty into your home. Your might be inclined, after they have fallen past peak, to put them into compost. But before you do, consider removing them from the water and getting even more life out of them as dried arrangements. If you are looking for more ideas on how to extend the use of flowers you have grown, bought or received, look to the delightful new book, Cut & Dry: The Modern Guide to Dried Flowers From Growing to Styling. Penned by Carolyn Dunster, a London-based garden writer and botanical stylist, who shows you how to work with the medium including how to grow (if you are so inclined), dry, press, create wreathes and arrange dried flower in a very thoughtful way. I connected with Carolyn to learn more about her background, what inspired her to write her new book and tips on creating at home.

Images Copyrighted and Courtesy of Laurence King

Congratulations on publishing such a beautiful, thorough and thoughtful book! I truly enjoyed every page and finished it feeling very inspired. What inspired you to write the book?

My inspiration for the book came as a throwback to my childhood when I used to dry, press and preserve wildflowers and plants as a hobby.  More recently, I wanted to see if I could take it to a professional level and whilst doing this I decided to document the results to share with others.

I have always known flowers left in a vase to maybe be even more beautiful than their fresh counterparts. I love looking at flowers through the lens of the book, they are dried not dead (!). When did you first start experimenting with dried botanicals?

I started experimenting a few years ago as a result of gluts in my garden. It is a small gravel garden planted mainly with annual and perennial flowers that I encourage to self-seed. I love the idea of plants growing freely wherever they choose but in some instances they were a bit too enthusiastic and required editing. Rather than put them in the compost bin I decided to hang them up to dry. I did this with many varieties that you don’t normally see as dried flowers.

Where is a good place to start when it comes to playing with dried flowers? 

Your own garden is a great place to start and if you don’t have any growing space then a seasonal bunch of flowers from your local florist will provide you with some materials for air drying. I always say it is a question of trial and error, time and patience. Drying flowers is not an exact science and all drought tolerant plants will eventually dry given the right conditions.

Do you have a few tips that you can share on how to work with them? 

Air drying is easy and requires no complicated pieces of equipment. Just tie your flowers with some soft twine, suspend upside down in a cool dry place and watch and wait. You’ll know they are ready when they feel slightly brittle to the touch. Once dry you need to handle them carefully as they do have a tendency to snap and break. I suggest styling them minimally in organic shaped vessels made from natural materials such as clay or earthenware.

I think last year inspired many people to get more connected to nature. What would you say are a few plants/flowers to grow if you don’t have a lot of space that will also dry well? 

If you don’t have much growing space or if you garden in pots then make sure to include some flowering grasses as I think these make the most fantastic tactile dried materials. If you harvest them at the right moment then they are ready to display immediately as the drying process takes place naturally – this is generally at the end of their growing period. For pops of colour then annual cottage garden flowers such as strawflowers, cornflowers, scabious and marigolds are all great for drying. 

You are a botanical stylist, planting designer and a garden writer. Can you share a bit more on how you ended up on this creative path? 

I started my career in editorial on glossy lifestyle magazines but I have been obsessed with flowers all my life and when I took a maternity break I decided to follow my passion. I enrolled on a professional floristry course and I set up a flower business from my kitchen table. Over the years, I wanted more and more to grow my own flowers and I then studied for a diploma in garden design. Latterly all my skills seem to have come together so that I grow my own flowers for cutting to style both fresh and dry and am lucky enough to write about doing this

What does a typical work day look like for you? 

Because I wear a few different hats no day is the same and I don’t really have a fixed routine unless I am writing. Then I tend to get up very early in order to have some peace and quiet before the rest of my family get up - I still work from the kitchen table. After a few hours of sitting behind my computer, I will then be desperate to get outside in my garden to see what has happened overnight. It’s especially exciting at this time of year when everything is putting on growth and about to burst into bloom. Other days I might be teaching a workshop, consulting on a planting scheme or creating a bespoke arrangement for a client.

What advice do you have for others who are looking to have a similar career? 

In any horticultural role I think the key is to keep learning and finding out all you can about flowering plants and their growing habits. You can do this by volunteering in both private and public or community gardens and never be afraid to ask questions. When it comes to styling flowers then it is a question of practice, practice, practice. The joy of growing your own blooms means you will have a supply of materials to teach yourself how to make a hand-tied bouquet or create an arrangement until it feels like the most natural thing in the world. 

As a garden lover, I have to ask, what are you top three gardens in England and why?

I’m going to say two of the best-known gardens – Great Dixter and Sissinghurst. They both demonstrate how to combine traditional techniques with constant innovation and interesting planting combinations so that they never look dated or jaded. I also spend a lot of time at the Chelsea Physic Garden one of the oldest botanical gardens in Europe set in a walled space just behind the river Thames with its own microclimate. Once you are inside you would never know that you are in one of the busiest cities in the world.

With ROSE & IVY, I am passionate about uncovering beauty in different forms from a beautiful flower, a conversation to an exotic landscape. What is your definition of beauty in a less tangible sense? 

My idea of intangible beauty is found in a kind look or a warm gesture – this can be from a stranger but more often than not I find it with other flower enthusiasts and fellow gardeners – a certain unspoken understanding and appreciation for the natural world. 

Book c/o publisher; ROSE &IVY participates in affiliate links meaning if you click on a link and make a purchase a small commission could be made. Thank you for supporting R&I!