This weekend marks the unofficial end of summer and unfortunately that means running to the local flower farm for a fresh bouquet is also coming to an end. While faux florals and stems have come a very long way, I am team no-faux. Here is a list of some of my favorite dried and preserved botanicals that are perfect for the cooler months of the year. You can also dry your own (tutorial here), forage in the woods or your backyard, or do something out of the box like these stems made from old books. Let me know here how you incorporate florals into your home during the off seasons.

1. Preserved Bougainvillea Stem – $38
2. Mitsumata Bleached Branches – $20
3. Uva Taupe Stalk (set of 3) – $29
4. Tallow Berries – $28
5. Dried Phalaris Bunch – $28
6. Dried Lagurus Bunch – $20
7. Dried Millet Bunch – $20
8. Preserved Gypso Bunch – $20
9. Dried Flax – $24
10. Preserved Evergreen Plumosus Fern Foliage – $34
11. Mauve Pink Preserved Hydrangea – $30
12. Dried Grass and Grain Hoop Grapevine Wreath – $36

Natural elements bring life into your home. Texture, warmth, color, all things that attain that cozy feeling that you want when you walk into a space. I’ve set a few rules for myself that I try to keep in mind when deciding what botanicals I want to display.

1. Think Season – I always like to think of what is blooming in the month / season I am in. For where I live that is typically tulips, anemones and ranunculus in spring, dahlias, hydrangea, sunflowers, lilac, lavender (and tons more in summer), chrysanthemums and black-eyed susans in early fall, etc…
2. What’s Growing Around Me – If I have an empty vase or table needing some greenery, who’s to say you can’t take a pair of clippers to the backyard for a few fresh branches. Forsythia is a beautiful vase-filler in the spring and more than abundant on Long Island. In the fall and winter I love to trim some branches off the cypress bush or pine trees right in my yard. Last fall I made this wreath with clippings from my front yard.
3. When in Doubt, Eucalyptus – Eucalyptus dries so easily and is such a perfect way to bring in that natural element or fill a vase. I actually used to have a monthly subscription for eucalyptus stems, but found them to be much cheaper and readily available at my local Trader Joes. If you want your stems to last, you can trim the bottoms and they will do great in water for a week or so. To dry, hang them upside down and style in a vase without water.