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Premium Preserved Roses: Our
premium preserved rose heads look and feel just like real roses! In
fact, they are real roses and they're so real that you'll have to
stop yourself from watering them. They are preserved using an
advanced preservation technique, but unlike freeze-dried roses, they
are color enhanced to bring out their natural color. Preserved roses
are wonderful to work with because they are very resilient. These
roses are perfect for wreath decorations, wedding bouquets,
corsages, boutonnieres, centerpiece arrangements and much more. You
will find we use these roses exclusively in our floral arrangements
throughout our Gift Shoppe!
Preserved Flowers and Foliages: Pioneer Heritage Shoppe's
primary focus is on natural products that support our environment
and the American Family Farms! The preserved flowers and foliages we
carry are hand picked
then dried in environmentally friendly professional drying machines. This specialized
equipment produces low temperatures and rapid moisture removal
producing dried flowers that are as fragrant, and vibrant as the
living flower. This process allows our preserved foliages to retain
the fresh natural aroma's of the living plant! This professional
drying process is why when you pick flowers from your own flower
garden they do not last as long or retain their color as those
professionally preserved.
We have been asked many times how these products are in fact
preserved. We have received the information below direct from the
family farmers that supply us with their high quality preserved and
dried flowers and foliages.
Preserving Methods:
Preserved when we refer to a product as being preserved we mean that
glycerin (and usually dye) has been added to the product. There are
two methods by which we preserve (add glycerin to) foliage. Systemically
and by Immersion (or dip-dye). It should be noted that
all of our preserved (glycerin added) products are also dried prior
to final grading and packing.
Natural preservation is done naturally
with professional equipment offering controlled air flow and no
chemicals or dyes. So when you see a product that says "natural
preserved" then that's what you are getting. The "Natural"
method means they are preserved professionally by a natural process
of drying and preserving. Flowers done by this
process feel more dried and less soft and supple.
Premium preservation All chemically
and dyed preserves are listed on our site as "premium
preserved" either by glycerin, systemically, or dip-dyed
creating
preserved florals and foliages that are soft and supple.
Systemically refers to a method of preserving foliage by taking the
glycerin solution up into the plant through the stem. Portions of
the plant where water does not flow through (such as the bark and
some flower peddles) do not take up the glycerin and dye. This
allows the preserved plant material to look more natural.
Glycerin is a glycol (substance similar to antifreeze but) it is not
toxic and less volatile. Sometimes referred to as a sugar, it is
often found in products such as hand cream, frosting, cough syrup,
toothpaste etc.. Its effect on foliage is to keep it soft for a long
period of time (as opposed to dried foliage, which is usually
brittle). Glycerin has two interesting properties, first it is
hydroscopic meaning it will absorb water from the air, and second it
has a very low vapor pressure meaning it will not evaporate
(antifreeze has a much higher vapor pressure and will slowly
evaporate over time).
Natural
Drying refers to the removal of moisture with no glycerin added.
Immersion - Dip Dyed refers to a product in which dye and glycerin is added to
the plant by immersion of the plant material in a solution. One of
the results of this processing is that plant bark also takes up the
dye as opposed to systemic processing that leaves the bark its
natural color.
Freeze-Drying Roses is an advanced preservation technique. The roses
are placed in a drying machine and temperature is lowered to 30 to
40 degrees below zero. This process takes the excess moisture out of
the plant. Freeze dried roses while nice can become brittle if not
cared for properly. (We no longer sell freeze dried flowers due to
their shorter life span).
Retail Shops: Please go to the gallery pages of these flowers
and read our wholesale availability of either the flowers or
foliage. If a product is not listed as available for wholesale
you will need to contact a wholesale distributor to supply you
directly. Contact us if you have questions. Thank you.
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