The pressed botanical frames we stock are made by an artist who works from her own garden. Each one takes several weeks from the moment a plant is picked to the moment it's framed. Here's what happens in between, and why no two frames are identical.

Pressing: slower than you'd think ¶

Botanicals are pressed between sheets of blotting paper inside a wooden press, weighted down and left for two to four weeks depending on the thickness of the plant material. Thicker stems and seed heads take longer. Delicate petals can be done in ten days. The goal is to remove moisture without losing colour or structure.

Colour retention is the hardest part. Some plants press beautifully and hold their colour for years. Others fade quickly or turn brown within weeks. The artist selects plants partly for their pressing behaviour, which is why you'll see certain species appear repeatedly in her work.

Arrangement and mounting ¶

Once pressed, the botanicals are arranged on the mounting paper. This is done dry first, without adhesive, to work out the composition. The arrangement is then fixed using a small amount of conservation-grade adhesive applied with a fine brush. The adhesive is reversible, which matters for archival purposes.

The autumn series uses oak leaves, dried yarrow, and heather. The oak leaves are the most variable element. Each one presses differently depending on when in the season it was picked. Early-autumn leaves retain more green. Later leaves are more amber and brown.

Framing ¶

The frames are solid oak with a UV-filtering glass front. The UV filter slows the fading that would otherwise occur from light exposure. Even so, pressed botanicals will fade over time if hung in direct sunlight. A north-facing wall or a spot away from direct light will keep them looking good for much longer.

Each frame in the autumn series is different. If you're buying one, it's worth knowing that the piece you receive will be similar to the photos but not identical. That's the nature of the process, and we think it's part of the appeal.