Preserved Flower Decorating

Come summertime, no doubt our gardens, porches and yards burst forth in multi-color shades of blues and yellows, peaches and pinks, reds and greens, and many more color combinations. Unfortunately, the blooms from our cherished annuals and perennials don't last forever--kind of like summertime itself. It's always disheartening to see a cherished bloom fade before one's eyes. It may have been the first peach-pink rose that bloomed on the plant you lovingly cultivated from a bare-root plant. Or it may have been the stunning dahlia that captured your eye when you went to water your garden each morning.

You may have a few photographs and some fond memories of favorite blooms, but how can they compare to the actual bloom? Well, you can keep your flowers--not just their memory or a photograph--long after the growing season is complete. By preserving your favorite blooms, you can celebrate the beauty of summer flowers all through the year.

There are four basic methods to preserving flowers, depending on the type of flower you wish to preserve. Flowers that feel dry and papery are among the easiest to preserve using the wired-stem technique. The strawflower, for example, works well with this method, since its petal-like bracts are firm and papery to the touch. To preserve this type of flower, simply clip the bloom from the plant just beneath the head of the flower (don't clip the stem, since it will not preserve properly). It's important to choose flowers that are just beginning to open for this process.

After cutting the flowers, insert a 20-gauge florist's wire through the stem end of the flower head. Push the other end of the wire into a piece of foam board, as shown at right. Let the flowers dry for 3 weeks before using.

Another method of preserving flowers is the upside-down air-drying method. The globe amaranth is one flower that dries especially well using this method. First, cut the stems of the flowers when the flowers just begin to show color. Hang them upside down in a dry, airy place for about 3 weeks.

You can also dry flowers such as baby's breath, silver-leaved artemesia, statice, celosia, hydrangea, and long-stemmed roses this way. The flowers will dry best if you follow these important tips:

1.) Cut the stems at bouquet length either in the early morning before the sun rises or in the late evening after the sun has set.

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