To make stabilized flowers using a preferred conservation technique, you employ a process called stabilisation by double immersion. This method involves carefully treating fresh flowers through a two-step immersion process to preserve their appearance and longevity.
Understanding Stabilized Flowers
Stabilized flowers, also known as preserved flowers, are natural flowers that have undergone a special process to maintain their fresh look for a significantly longer period than cut flowers, often lasting for months or even years without water or sunlight. This technique replaces the natural sap of the flower with a preserving solution.
The Double Immersion Technique
Based on one preferred conservation method, the technique for stabilizing flowers is double immersion. This process is designed to first remove the flower's moisture and then replace it with a preserving agent.
The steps involved are as follows:
-
First Immersion: Dehumidification
- Fresh flowers are immersed in pure alcohol.
- This initial immersion lasts for 24 hours.
- The purpose of this step is to dehumidify the flowers by drawing out their natural moisture and sap.
-
Second Immersion: Rehydration and Preservation
- After the first immersion, the flowers are then rehydrated and preserved.
- This is done by immersing them in a solution.
- The solution consists of:
- Alcohol
- Vegetable glycerine
- Propylene glycol
- Food colouring
- The vegetable glycerine and propylene glycol help to keep the flowers supple and hydrated internally, preventing them from becoming brittle.
- The alcohol in the second solution likely helps in the penetration of the other ingredients and acts as a solvent.
- Food colouring is included to restore or enhance the flower's original colour, which may fade during the initial alcohol immersion.
Here is a summary of the process:
| Step | Action | Duration | Key Ingredients Involved | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Immersion | Immerse fresh flowers | 24 hours | Pure alcohol | Dehumidify (remove moisture/sap) |
| 2nd Immersion | Immerse dehumidified flowers | Not specified | Alcohol, Vegetable glycerine, Propylene glycol, Food colouring | Rehydrate and Preserve (replace sap) |
This double immersion method allows the preserving solution to fully penetrate the flower's tissues, effectively stabilizing it for long-term display.
