Some flowers are more than flowers. They’re memory keepers. They sat near a photo of your loved one. They were carried down the aisle at a celebration of life. They were the gentle, fragrant presence at a final goodbye. When someone we love leaves this world, those blooms often become our tangible connection, one of the last things we touched that touched them.
It’s no wonder that so many people want to preserve their memorial flowers. Not just because they’re beautiful, but because they carry emotion, story, and memory. Preserving memorial flowers isn’t about keeping something frozen in time—it’s about honoring the life, the love, and the space someone held. And through thoughtful floral preservation, those blooms can become lasting art pieces that bring comfort and connection long after the service has passed.
Why Preserving Memorial Flowers Matters
We all grieve differently. For some, it’s about gathering photos or creating memory books. For others, it’s lighting a candle every year on a special date. But there’s something incredibly grounding about preserving flowers, especially when they come from such an emotionally significant moment.
Memorial flowers are physical, delicate, and symbolic. They speak to the fleeting nature of life itself—how something can be vibrant, loved, and then gone far too quickly. By preserving those flowers, you’re choosing to hold on to that connection.
Many of the clients who come to us for memorial flower preservation are looking for something more permanent than dried petals in a box or pressed blooms in a book. They want art—something they can display, wear, or gift. Something beautiful that reflects the love they still carry.
Choosing the Right Flowers for Preservation
If you’ve already received memorial flowers, know this: almost any bloom can be preserved in some form. Some varieties just preserve better than others. Roses, carnations, and chrysanthemums are particularly strong candidates—they tend to hold their shape and color well, even after drying. These flowers are also commonly used in sympathy arrangements, which makes them naturally present in many memorial pieces we create.
Delicate blooms like lilies or orchids may require special handling, but they can still be preserved beautifully. In some cases, we’ll preserve only parts of these flowers—like a single petal or bloom cluster—and integrate them into a larger design.
One thing we always encourage is selecting the flowers that have the most meaning. Maybe it’s a single rose placed on the casket, or a bloom from a bouquet that a grandchild laid at the altar. The flower doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to be part of your and your loved one’s story.
Methods for Preserving Memorial Flowers
There are several approaches to preserving memorial flowers, each with its own aesthetic and emotional value. The two most requested techniques we offer at Blossom & Rhyme are resin preservation and pressed flower art. Both are timeless, beautiful, and deeply personal.
Resin Preservation allows us to suspend flowers in a crystal-clear, durable material that keeps their three-dimensional form intact. This method captures the full texture and color of each bloom and transforms it into a permanent display piece. Think: a small spray of flowers encased in a keepsake tray or bookends. A single rose turned into a paperweight or display cube. Resin is also perfect for preserving blooms in wearable keepsakes, like necklaces.
This method is especially meaningful for those who want something tactile—something they can hold, place on a desk, or display on a shelf. Resin preservation feels modern, clean, and enduring. And because each piece is completely custom, we’re able to design around your preferences, whether that means highlighting a specific flower or incorporating initials, dates, or even handwriting.
Pressed Flower Art is softer and more traditional. Flowers are gently dried and flattened, then arranged in a custom design that can be framed. Some clients prefer a minimalist arrangement—just a few small blooms on white linen paper—while others want a more intricate composition. Pressed floral art feels delicate and classic, often evoking the quiet elegance of botanical illustrations.
It’s especially lovely for those who want to create a memorial wall or display the piece alongside photos or letters. Pressed flowers also work beautifully in smaller formats, like bookmarks, framed cards, or memorial journals. Many people choose this method when preserving flowers that have already begun to dry.
When and How to Start the Preservation Process
If you're planning to preserve memorial flowers, the best time to begin is as soon as possible after the service. Flowers are at their freshest within the first 48 to 72 hours, and early care helps us retain their shape, color, and overall beauty.
If you’re not ready to start preservation right away, store your flowers in a cool, dark place. Trim the stems slightly and place them in fresh water if they’re still pliable. Avoid direct sunlight and extreme temperatures. If the flowers are already dry, wrap them loosely in tissue paper and store them in a box with airflow to prevent mold. When you’re ready, you can ship your flowers directly to us.
Ideas for Memorial Keepsakes
There’s no one right way to honor someone you’ve lost. That’s why we offer several design options to reflect the different ways people grieve, remember, and celebrate.
Some clients choose to create a single large resin piece that includes all of the preserved flowers from a funeral or memorial service. Others prefer multiple smaller keepsakes—one for each sibling, or a few to give as gifts to grandchildren.
We also work with people who want to create something for themselves and something to share. A floral block for the mantle, and a necklace with a single preserved petal to wear every day. Or a pressed flower frame to display at home, with a matching bookmark for a favorite book they shared with their loved one. The most meaningful pieces are often the most personal. The keepsake doesn’t have to be big—it just has to speak to your heart.
Preserving More Than Just Flowers
Sometimes, preservation includes more than petals. We’ve incorporated handwritten notes, dried leaves, small charms, and even scraps of fabric into floral art pieces. These elements can be embedded in resin or layered into pressed designs, depending on what feels right for you.
If your loved one had a favorite flower, we can help recreate that feeling through the selection and arrangement of blooms. If they were a gardener or florist themselves, preserving flowers they once grew can be a deeply touching tribute.
There’s something incredibly healing about turning grief into creation—about choosing beauty, even in a time of loss.
Final Thoughts
Preserving memorial flowers is about more than saving something—it’s about transforming something. It’s about taking that fragile, fleeting symbol of loss and turning it into a lasting piece of love.
At Blossom & Rhyme, we are honored to walk with our clients through these intimate, emotional moments. We don’t take lightly the trust it takes to hand someone your memories. Every petal, every stem, every keepsake is treated with care, empathy, and the deepest respect.
Whether you’re holding on to fresh blooms from a service last week or dried flowers you’ve kept for years, it’s never too early—or too late—to create something meaningful.
Blossom & Rhyme is a 100% female-owned floral preservation studio, specializing in resin and pressed flower keepsakes. We work with memorial flowers from all across the U.S., helping clients honor their loved ones through custom floral art that’s as beautiful and enduring as the memories they hold. Contact us to start your preservation journey, or explore our memorial keepsake options online.