 |
"Goodhousekeeping
Magazine rates vacuum freeze-drying, as the best floral preservation
method available today. To achieve these outstanding results is
a labor intensive and time-consuming process. Each design is a custom
work of art taking many hours to complete."
At Gardens of the Heart, we take upmost
care in handling and preserving your floral keepsake so that it
looks the same tomorrow as you remembered it on your special day...
Each floral
arrangement is unique and handled differently depending on the type
of flowers that are involved. The flower type and color determines
how it is treated and prepared for freezing.
 |
After
special chemicals are used to preserve the vibrancy and color
of the petals, the flowers are placed on a tray and loaded into
a state-of-the-art freeze-dryer. The flowers are then frozen
at temperatures ranging from 0°-10° for two to three
weeks. A vacuum is formed in the chamber so that the moisture
from the flowers can be extracted. This has to be done slowly
or the moisture would burst out of the cells which would damage
the flowers. |
The
flowers are somewhat brittle when they are removed from the
freeze-dryer and will need to sit at room temperature for
a few days to soften. The flowers are are arranged on wires
and color enhancement is applied as required. A thin layer
of solution is applied to each flower protecting it from dust,
moisture, and light.
In order
to allow the flowers to “cure” before they are
ready for the design phase, each customer’s flowers
are then stored in a special container. During this time,
the post-treat will dry completely and the flowers become
less brittle. This may required 2-6 weeks. |
|
|
