How To Dry Flowers To Put In A Shadow Box

Shadow box displays hold treasured items including keepsakes such as a prom corsage, birthday roses or flowers from a wedding bouquet. Dry the flowers that you plan to store in a shadow box for several days to weeks before assembling the display. The best way to dry shadow box flowers is the hanging method. The flowers maintain a dimensional shape when hung upside down to dry. The flowers are already tied into small bundles, which will make it easier to attach them to the box interior.

Step 1

Remove the flowers from the water or hand-held bouquet. Pat dry with a paper towel.

Step 2

Cut the stem to a length of 6 inches or shorter if the shadow box is small.

Step 3

Place two or three stems together and tie them into a bundle.

Step 4

Hang the flowers in a cool, dark place for at least a week. The flowers should be suspended upside down in an area where air can circulate around them. A length of taut clothes line, wire or wooden clothes drier rack are beneficial for drying flowers. The rope or wire should hang about 6 inches from the ceiling.

Step 5

Touch the flowers to make sure that the petals have a crispy, brittle feel to them before taking them down from the hanging position.