Home + Garden Garden Flowers A Chicago Floral Designer Creates Long-Lasting Dried Bouquets in Repurposed Containers Cut flowers are a creative medium for artist Karina Castellon. By Teresa Woodard Teresa Woodard Teresa Woodard is contributing garden editor at Midwest Living where she covers everything from houseplants and bonsai to daffodils and peonies. A lifelong Ohioan (except for her college days studying journalism at Indiana University), she gardens on two acres outside Columbus. She also teaches youth about growing food at an urban community garden and is working on a book project about American garden design. She loves hiking with her German short-haired pointer and traveling to favorite garden destinations. Midwest Living's Editorial Guidelines Published on August 25, 2022 By day, Karina Castellon designs displays as visual manager for Chalet Nursery, one of the country's largest garden centers north of Chicago. After hours, she brings her creative prowess to her floral design business, Gypsy Alley. Courtesy of Karina Castellon "I hate to see fresh flowers go to waste, so I started drying them and assembling them in repurposed vessels," says Karina. During the pandemic, she sourced flowers from local floral farms and started selling both fresh and dried bouquets from her backyard along the alley (hence the "Gypsy Alley" name). Later, she joined a community of artists to sell her floral designs during pop-up events at local breweries, vintage boutiques, art galleries and even a shuffleboard club. "[Dried floral arrangements] make great gifts, especially if you grow your own plants," she says. She recently visited the Upper Peninsula for her birthday and returned home with a wildflower bouquet to dry as a keepsake from the trip. "If you're a sentimental person, the beauty and scent of the dried flowers lives on," she says. See How to Make a Dried Floral Centerpiece How to Make a Dried Floral Bouquet Karina shares how to create your own everlasting arrangement at home. 01 of 04 1. Gather Flowers Courtesy of Karina Castellon Roses, hydrangeas, lavender, peonies, status, coneflowers, scabiosa, spring bulbs, zinnias, sunflowers and marigolds, plus foliage plants like grasses, oregano and eucalyptus, dry well. If you can, source them from a nearby flower farm. "It's a great way to support local businesses," Karina says. Related: 20 Beautiful Floral Arrangement Ideas 02 of 04 2. Dry Flowers Courtesy of Karina Castellon The best time to dry flowers is when they're fresh, before they start to decline. Remove their leaves and hang upside down in a cool, dry place with some air flow but no sunlight that can fade colors. Karina uses her kitchen pantry. 03 of 04 3. Prep the Container Courtesy of Karina Castellon Karina chose a beer can as a vessel for this project, using a can opener to cut an opening in the top, then weighed it down with scoops of sand. For containers with more heft, sand, floral netting or chicken wire can act as the base for flower stems. 04 of 04 4. Assemble Courtesy of Karina Castellon Consider an arrangement's size in proportion to its vessel. "You don't want it to be top heavy," Karina says. One and a half times the height of the vessel is a safe bet. Tip: Assemble flower clusters in your hands before inserting them in the container. For an added visual effect, coordinate flowers with the can's label. Courtesy of Karina Castellon Karina likes to shop thrift stores and Facebook Marketplace for other repurposed vessels like vintage vases, Mason jars, old medicine bottles and mid-century animal planters. They all offer different twists for dried floral bouquets. Enjoy the arrangement for a season, then when you tire of it, don't feel bad about tossing it. "It's biodegradable, so just return it to the Earth." 7 Vintage Decor Shops in the Midwest Worth Traveling For Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit