How to Care for Crochet & Preserved Flowers

One of the quiet joys of crochet and preserved flowers is how little they ask of you. There is no water to change, no stems to trim, no wilting to race against — just a beautiful arrangement that stays exactly as lovely as the day it arrived. If fresh flowers are a wonderful fleeting moment, these are the keepsake: made by hand to be enjoyed for years, not days.

That said, ‘low-maintenance’ is not quite the same as ‘no thought at all’. A few simple habits will keep your everlasting flowers looking their very best, whether they are our hand-crocheted blooms or our delicate hand-finished preserved arrangements. Here is everything you need to know.

Why everlasting flowers need almost no upkeep

Both of our everlasting ranges are designed to be gloriously fuss-free, but for slightly different reasons.

Crochet flowers are worked entirely from yarn, so there is nothing living or perishable about them at all. They will not fade on their natural schedule, drop petals or need feeding.

Preserved flowers are real blooms that have been carefully treated so they keep their soft, natural texture and colour without any water or light source. The preservation process is what gives them their long life — but it also means the single most important rule is simply: keep them dry.

The golden rule for both: never water them, and keep them out of strong, direct sunlight. Do those two things and the rest is easy.

Caring for crochet flowers

Crochet blooms are the hardier of the two, but yarn does attract dust over time and can lose a little brightness in harsh light. A gentle routine keeps them crisp.

• Dust gently, now and then. A soft, dry make-up brush, a clean paint brush or a hairdryer set to cool and low will lift dust from between the petals without snagging the stitches. Once a fortnight is plenty.
• Keep them out of strong direct sunlight. A bright spot is fine, but hours of intense sun each day can slowly fade dyed yarn — the same way it would fade a favourite cushion. A shelf, mantel or side table away from a south-facing window is ideal.
• Refresh a flattened bloom. If a petal gets squashed in a bag or a box, a brief hover of cool steam from a kettle (held well back) and a little reshaping with your fingers will plump it back up.
• Only spot-clean if needed. For a mark, dab with a barely-damp cloth and let it air-dry fully. Avoid soaking — waterlogged yarn takes an age to dry and can lose its shape.

Caring for preserved flowers

Preserved arrangements are more delicate to the touch, so think ‘handle rarely, admire often’. Their care is really about protecting them from the two things preservation cannot cope with: moisture and rough handling.

Keep them completely dry

This is the one that matters most. Never add water, never mist them, and keep them away from steamy bathrooms and kitchen hobs. Excess humidity can soften the petals and dull the colour, so a dry, well-ventilated room is perfect.

Shade over sunlight

Direct sun will gradually bleach preserved petals, especially the reds and deep pinks. Choose a spot with plenty of ambient light but no long, direct beam falling across the arrangement.

A feather-light dust

If dust settles, do not wipe. Instead, use a hairdryer on its coolest, gentlest setting from a distance, or a very soft brush with the lightest touch. Preserved petals are supple but can bruise, so less pressure is always more.

Leave them in their setting

Preserved blooms are arranged to sit beautifully as they are. Constant rearranging is the quickest way to shed a petal, so once they are somewhere you love, let them settle in.

Where to display them for the longest life

Placement does most of the work. The happiest homes for everlasting flowers are:

1. A hallway console, bookshelf or bedroom dresser away from radiators and direct sun.
2. A living-room mantel or side table — glorious for a centrepiece that never needs replacing.
3. Under a glass dome or cloche for preserved arrangements, which keeps dust off entirely and looks wonderfully elegant.

Avoid windowsills in full sun, the tops of radiators, and anywhere prone to steam or damp. If you would like some inspiration for styling, our gallery is full of ideas, and you can browse the full everlasting range any time in the shop.

The worry-free gift: pet and allergy safety

If you are buying for a home with pets, small children or hay-fever sufferers, everlasting flowers are a genuinely reassuring choice. Crochet blooms are made from inert yarn — there is no pollen and nothing living to react to. Preserved flowers are likewise pollen-free, though they are decorative only and not edible.

Fresh flowers are wonderful too, but some are best kept out of reach: lilies are highly toxic to cats, and tulips, daffodils, hyacinth, hydrangea, chrysanthemum, ranunculus and ivy are commonly listed as toxic or irritant to cats and dogs. Roses, sunflowers, snapdragons, orchids, freesia and lisianthus are generally considered gentler options. This is guidance rather than a guarantee, so if you have a curious pet do check a trusted source such as the ASPCA or Blue Cross plant lists — and when in doubt, an everlasting arrangement sidesteps the question entirely.

For more on keeping every kind of bloom at its best, see our flower care guide, or explore more articles in the flower care section of the journal.