How do I preserve a flower?

For my wedding I want to be able to provide flowers on a hairclip for the females guests to wear in their hair, however nobody seems to know how I can preserve the flower so it doesn't wilt after an hour. I'd love to provide in particular a hibiscus flower but if there are more suitable flowers then I'm open to suggestion. I live in the caribbean so it would have to be a flower that is grown here (ie. hibiscuc, borgonvilla(sp?), etc).

How do I preserve a flower?
Hibiscus is nice. Orchids hold up pretty well, too.


If the flower is still on its stem, put it in water, add a LITTLE TEENSY bit of bleach, and the most minute amount of baking soda. Cut of a VERY small fragment of the flower's stem, and put in the flower food (if given). Spray with hairspray ( funnily enough, a glossing or glittering spray by Federick Fekkai works well, along with making the flowers sparkly) and stick it in the fridge.





If the flower has a virtually no stem, then put it in a water filled bowl and follow the previously given directions.





When its time to use the flowers, give it a light dose of haispray again, and use a spray mist bottle (you know, the kind you can get practically anywhere) filled with water, and give it a light spray. Hope for the best!





Congrats on your wedding!
Reply:Talk to your florist...they are trained in these items. It seems tricky but I am sure they will have some ideas.
Reply:hairspray them lightly, and afterwards you can press them, so they can be a keepsake forever.
Reply:This is a tip that my mom always did for certain ocassions like weddings and others...





Spray the flowers with hair spray. It holds them together for hours on end.
Reply:First, check how long each flower lasts without water...I believe the bouganvilla will be the winner, but I have not tested. You might not have to worry about bouganvilla flower, but the leaves do wilt. You could dry the flowers with silica jell...then spray them with a matt finish to prevent them from re-absorbing moisture from the air...spray lightly though as they will wilt if too wet. You might also try letting the flowers dry without the leaves and just using them. They stay colorful when dry...actually I live in a very dry clilmate...you might have to get them dry and lightly spray them. If you pick them and just leave them out of water they dry on their own...at least here they do. They can be found all over the yard when they fall off the plant. They are gorgeous in a vase with water in the house, too. Usually when drying flowers inside you hang them upside down in a dark place, like a closet...but just not in front of a window if you don't have a dark place...takes a few weeks to dry completely...then you should be good to go with them. Good luck...have a wonderful wedding.
Reply:go to a flower shop and ask for the little water tubes they put in corsage flowers, i dont know what they will charge, but you put the flower stem in that little tube with a rubber top put the water in first, and keep the flowers cool as long as you can, they still wont last very long but it should extend their life, though silk flowers would be best. the moth type orchids last much better.