The Best Flowers for Preservation: What Looks Beautiful in Resin and Pressed Art

If you're planning to preserve your wedding bouquet, the flowers you choose can make a big difference in the final result. Some blooms preserve with incredible clarity and color; others are more delicate. Here's a guide to the best flowers for preservation — and what to expect from each.

Flowers That Preserve Best

Roses

Roses are one of the most popular flowers for preservation, and for good reason. Garden roses and standard roses both dry beautifully, holding their shape and a rich depth of color. They work exceptionally well in both resin and pressed art. Note: heavily petaled garden roses may show some browning on outer petals, which is normal and adds to the antique charm.

Ranunculus

Ranunculus is a preservation favorite. Their layered, compact petals dry evenly and retain a soft, beautiful shape. They look stunning in pressed frames and shadowboxes.

Delphiniums

The tall, spiky stems of delphiniums add dramatic height and color to any preserved piece. They dry very well and hold their vivid purple and blue tones beautifully.

Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas preserve wonderfully — their clusters of small florets become a striking texture element in pressed and resin pieces alike. Colors tend to shift slightly toward dusty, vintage tones during preservation, which many people love.

Peonies

Peonies are beloved for their lush, full blooms. They do preserve, though their many petals mean they need more time to dry thoroughly. The result is a beautifully full, romantic flower in your keepsake.

Eucalyptus and Greenery

Greenery of all types — eucalyptus, ferns, ivy — preserves with excellent results. Adding greenery to your bouquet gives us more to work with and adds visual interest to your finished piece.

More Delicate Flowers to Know About

Some flowers are trickier to preserve but still yield beautiful results in skilled hands:

• Lily of the Valley — Very delicate; petals may shrink slightly during drying, but the tiny bell-shaped blooms are stunning when preserved.
• Sweet Peas — Thin, papery petals require careful handling, but pressed sweet peas are exquisite.
• Tulips — Tulips press beautifully but can lose their three-dimensional shape in resin. They work best in pressed art.
• Orchids — Tropical orchids can be tricky due to their moisture content, but when done right they're spectacular.

What About Color Changes?

All flowers undergo some color shift during the drying and preservation process. Reds may deepen, blush tones may become more ivory, and some flowers develop an antique, warm quality that many couples end up loving. At Bloomsake, we preserve flowers in their natural, true tones — so what you see reflects the genuine character of your blooms.

Read more about what to expect in our FAQ page, or learn more about our preservation styles here.

Planning Your Bouquet With Preservation in Mind

If you're still in the planning stage, choosing a bouquet with preservation in mind is a wonderful idea. Stick to flowers that hold structure well — roses, ranunculus, delphiniums, eucalyptus — and avoid flowers that are extremely moisture-heavy (like tropical bird of paradise) if you want the clearest resin result.

When in doubt, reach out to our team before your wedding. We're happy to review your planned bouquet and give you a sense of what to expect from preservation.

Ready to Preserve Your Flowers?

Browse our keepsakes and find the perfect style for your blooms. From resin trays and jewelry to pressed frames and shadowboxes — we'll create something beautiful from your flowers, whatever they are.