Using the Microfleur will help to retain the colour in your flowers.  We find that some colors change in the press, some reds and blues go a mauve shade, gum leaves take on an autumn color.  The stronger colors, such as the yellow in the jonquil, a red rose, tend to keep their color longer.  The new, young fronds of the maidenhair will stay a vibrant green, while the older fronds may discolor in the press.  As mentioned earlier, white or paler colored flowers need to be very newly opened as they tend to discolor during pressing.  If you are planning on doing a project that you hope will last for many years it is best to choose your flowers from ones that keep their color well or their design is so striking that color is not as important.  Flowers such as larkspur will keep their color for years while other flowers such as carnations, maidenhair, and herbs tend to fade after a few months. 

Where you store your masterpieces will have some bearing on how long the color will last.  The main culprits are sunlight and fluorescent lights, so if you can keep them out of bright light and sealed in some way it will help them to stay colorful.  It may be possible to replace any faded flowers or leaves periodically to keep the color in your arrangement.  It is possible to paint the pressed flowers with water color paint.  

None of the flowers used on this site have been colored in any way. 

If you wish to test the ‘color retention’ of your flowers, place them in bright light, such as on a sunny window sill for a few weeks.  This will give you an idea of how long they will retain their color.