How to preserve rose petals for a romantic occasion

When you think of romance and flowers, you can’t help but instantly picture a bouquet of sweet-smelling roses. Of all the fresh flowers we know and love, roses are most commonly associated with love and red roses are the top choice for romantic occasions. Nothing says romance quite like a bunch of perfect long-stemmed red roses, a candle-lit dinner, and the perfect romantic music. Since these flowers are known to symbolise love, it’s understandable that the petals are also often used to set the stage for romance.

 

The only trouble with fresh flower petals, however, is that they tend to dry out and lose their original colour. In the case of red roses, for example, the petals will darken as they dry. White rose petals will take on a yellowish tinge, and other colours will also discolour in a similar way. The good news is that fresh petals can be preserved and, if done correctly, they can last for a few days.

 

Simply follow these easy steps:

  • Select your roses very carefully. They should be mostly opened but not fully opened. This ensures maximum freshness.
  • Inspect the roses for any signs of damage and discard them.
  • To remove the petals, you need to gently grasp the flower in one hand and hold the base in the fingers of your other hand. Gently twist the petals in the opposite direction as the base to loosen the petals.
  • Once the petals are free from the base, you should wash them gently by dipping them in cool, soapy water. Rinse them with clean water and then place on a towel to remove the excess water.
  • Place a wet paper towel in a sealable plastic bag.
  • Add the clean petals to the bag, seal it, and place in the refrigerator.
  • If you are planning on storing them for a few days, you will need to toss them around at least once a day. The wet towel will provide much needed humidity within the contained environment of the plastic bag.

 

This is a great natural way of preserving fresh rose petals so that you can use them to decorate your dinner table, bedroom, or even create an even more relaxing and romantic atmosphere for a hot bath. Alternatively, for a longer lasting result, you could remove and clean the petals before dipping them in melted paraffin. This method really helps preserve their colour and appearance but it is more time consuming since you need to dip them one by one.