Dried flowers last for months, need no water and look good in every season, which is why they have become the easy answer for anyone who loves flowers but not the weekly trip to buy them. Arranging them well is mostly about choosing a few good stems, varying the heights and matching them to the vase. Here are the best dried flowers and grasses to use, how to arrange them step by step, and how to keep them looking good. Prices were correct when we published this guide, and each product page always shows the current price.
The short answer
Start with one or two tall, structural stems such as pampas or eucalyptus, add a softer filler such as bunny tails or gypsophila, then a few focal flowers such as strawflowers or a hydrangea head. Cut them to different heights, about one and a half to two times the height of the vase, use odd numbers, and keep the finished arrangement out of direct sun, away from damp and well away from candles.
The best dried flowers and grasses
- Pampas grass: big, soft plumes that give instant height. One or three stems are plenty.
- Bunny tails: small, fluffy heads on fine stems that add softness to any mix.
- Lavender: holds its colour and a gentle scent; lovely on its own in a bud vase.
- Eucalyptus: silvery leaves that keep their colour well once dried.
- Statice and strawflowers: papery flowers in strong colours that barely change as they dry.
- Gypsophila: a cloud of tiny white flowers that fills the gaps.
- Hydrangea: a single dried head in muted blue, pink or green is a whole arrangement on its own.
- Seed heads: poppy, nigella and alliums have strong shapes that read well against glass.
- Wheat, oats and ruscus: movement and texture, in pale, natural tones.
How to arrange dried flowers, step by step
- Start with structure. Put the tallest stems in first, such as pampas, eucalyptus or a branch, slightly off-centre.
- Add the filler. Tuck in softer stems like bunny tails or gypsophila around the base of the tall ones.
- Place the focal flowers. Add a few strawflowers, a hydrangea head or seed heads where the eye lands first.
- Vary the heights. Cut stems to different lengths so the arrangement steps down from the tallest point, roughly one and a half to two times the height of the vase.
- Stand back and edit. Turn the vase, take one stem out if it looks crowded, and stop when it looks a little looser than you planned.
Eight easy ideas
- One pampas plume in a tall, narrow vase on a mantelpiece or console.
- Three bunny tails in a bud vase on a bedside table.
- A bunch of lavender in a small vase, tied loosely with string.
- A single hydrangea head resting in the mouth of a wide vase.
- Seed heads only: poppy and nigella in a clear vase, for a graphic, modern look.
- A meadow mix of wheat, oats and statice in a wide-mouthed vase.
- Silver and white: dried eucalyptus with gypsophila for winter.
- A slim vase terrarium with three bunny tails, where the green-tinted glass frames the stems.
Choosing the vase
Dried stems need no water, so any vase will do, but the shape changes the look:
- Narrow neck: one to five stems stand upright on their own. The small flower vase on wood (£12) suits a few sprigs of lavender, and the molten glass vase on wood (£31), about 27cm tall with a narrow opening, suits a single pampas plume.
- Wide mouth: a fuller mix, held in place with a small ball of chicken wire or a layer of pebbles in the base.
- Clear glass: shows the stems, so strip any messy lower leaves before they go in.
- Pale bases: whitewashed wood suits soft, bleached palettes; the medium vase on whitewashed wood (£35.75) holds a generous bunch of lavender.
- Slim and tall: the glass vase terrarium in dark tung wood (£35), only about 5cm deep, holds a few stems on a narrow shelf.
Making them last
- Keep them out of direct sun, which fades colours quickly.
- Keep them away from damp and steam, which makes stems droop and can cause mould.
- Dust them gently with a hairdryer on its coolest, lowest setting, held well back.
- Reduce shedding on pampas and grasses with a light mist of unscented hairspray, applied outdoors.
- Never add water. Dried flowers rot if they sit in it.
Keep them away from flames
Dried flowers and grasses catch fire very easily. Keep arrangements well away from candles, tealights, wax burners, fires and heaters, and never put a candle in the same vase or display.
Drying your own
Most flowers and grasses dry well hung upside down in small bunches in a dark, dry, airy place, such as an airing cupboard or a spare room, for two to three weeks. Lavender, eucalyptus, statice and seed heads are the easiest to start with.
Common questions
How long do dried flower arrangements last?
Kept out of direct sun and away from damp, most last for months and many for a year or more. Colours soften slowly over time.
Can you put dried flowers in water?
No. Dried flowers need no water and will rot if their stems stand in it. A dry vase is all they need.
How do you arrange dried flowers in a wide vase?
Use more stems, and hold them in place with a small ball of chicken wire or a layer of pebbles in the base. Start with the tallest stems, then add filler and focal flowers.
How do you stop pampas grass shedding?
Give it a good shake outdoors, then a light mist of unscented hairspray. Keep it away from draughts and busy doorways.
For more ideas, see what to put in a vase without flowers, or browse every piece in our vases collection.
