DRIED FLOWERS - THEY MAKE GREAT ARRANGEMENTS

When the big, round, giant alliums bloomed in the spring, I let them dry on their stalks.    After many months of adding interest in the garden beds, I cut them down a month ago. They provided the last arrangement for the dentist's office yesterday morning.  Alliums, like hydrangea, are easy to dry. If you want, they can also be cut and enjoyed in floral arrangements, then, when the water dries up, just leave them in the vase and let them dry naturally. They both provide beautiful fall arrangements, and are really quite stable. The colors of the hydrangea can be varied from year to year, depending on the picking time and the temperatures, as seen in these pictures. Roses, especially buds, larkspur, delphinium, and even daffodils, can be dried by hanging upside down in a dark, cool place.  Roses are best where their petals are not open all the way.  Peonies are beautiful dried, but great care must be given to their storage, as they are very fragile, and must be picked before fully open.  Experiment with different blooms to see what works and what doesn't.   Dried flower arrangements are expensive to buy, but you can make your own with a little effort.  I always look forward to any blooms that have the qualities of drying.  Wreaths, wall hangings, and arrangements in vases are just a few of the ways to enjoy these beauties.