The Best Flowers to Press in Autumn

Cosy Autumn days bring with them some wonderful flowers and foliage to press. Even with the cooler days and longer nights, there are still plenty of flowers in bloom. Japanese anemones, cosmos, achillea and scabious are still going strong in the Meadow and Thyme garden, and they all press beautifully. There are also vibrant dahlias in bloom - their individual petals are divine when pressed, and there are so many stunning colours to choose from.

During Autumn, leaves have their moment in the spotlight - many of them turn to hues of vibrant amber, flaming reds, golden ochres and earthy browns. I love searching for colourful leaves to press, and I especially enjoy pressing leaves that are in transition from one colour to another; they may still be green at one end, but turning to yellows, oranges and reds along the length of the leaf - pure alchemy! They are truly fascinating and it’s so lovely to celebrate the amazing shapes and colours of Autumn leaves by pressing them. Some of my favourite leaves to press are acers (Japanese maple) as they have incredible and distinctive shapes that work perfectly in artwork.

Autumn weather can bring challenges for traditional flower pressing - we tend to experience a lot of rainfall here in the UK which can cause flowers to mould if placed into your flower press when they are wet. I’d always recommend flower pressing on dry days, and if there is any excess moisture on your flowers or leaves, gently blot it off using kitchen roll before you place them into your flower press. Don’t forget that to achieve beautiful pressed flowers and foliage, it’s really important to use quality equipment - an excellent flower press is essential, as are blotting paper and greyboard.

I hope you enjoy searching for treasures to press during Autumn; it really is a magical time of year.