Which flowers keep their colour

Blue and yellow flowers, like cornflowers, pansies and buttercups, tend to keep their colour well once pressed.

Reds and pinks usually darken as they dry — a red poppy petal ends up closer to brick than scarlet.

White flowers, like cow parsley and daisies, go a soft cream. Ferns and leaves stay green for a long time if they're kept out of the sun.

None of this is exact. Each flower dries a little differently, which is part of the point.