Hello there flower loving friends <3
I've been keeping myself so super busy with my gardens (what's new right?).
It's just so good for my soul.
In sharing my gardens I get lots of gardening questions, especially over on Instagram.
One of the number one questions is -
How do you dry your flowers, and...
How do you get them to look so rich and vibrant when they are dried?
My garden has been extra floriferous this year so I've had lots and lots of flowers to dry.
There is in fact one specific key to beautiful dried flowers.
Ready for this?
The answer is that you must dry your flowers when they are fresh.
Plain and simple.
When they are still strong and full of life is when you have to dry them.
Then just hang them upside down and watch the magic unfold.
It's really that simple.
I always have flowers that will be used specifically for drying purposes.
I cut those when they are lush and lovely and immediately hang them to dry.
After over 20 years of growing flowers I can tell you, I have dried flowers in a million different ways.
And this is the true way to have spectacular dried roses.
The thing is, if you dry a flower properly you can have years of enjoyment of it.
I look at dried flowers like paper art.
And the colors get so much richer as they dry.
The really funny thing is that they also change color.
Some light pink ones might turn purple and coral ones turn raspberry.
It's like flower magic, such a gift upon a gift.
Sometimes they retain their scent and they smell heavenly.
If you keep them in a place where they do not get direct sunlight they will last for years.
So I make sure to reserve some for vases, some to just keep out in the garden to enjoy, and others to dry.
If you wait for too long to dry your roses, then as they dry the petals will simply fall off.
Which is fine too because then you can use them for potpourri.
The wonderful thing is that my technique goes for all flowers.
I dry zinnia, hydrangeas, carnations, dahlias and all other flowers the same way.
Cut them when they are fresh and prop them somewhere to dry in a nice shape.
I use birdcages to dry flowers quite often.
Roses look the best dried upside down.
They retain their shape if you hang them this way.
I had some branches in my giant urn, so I just started hanging my flowers to dry from the branches.
They truly do become art specimens.
You can hang them to dry from anywhere, even chandeliers.
The roses below were a bit too spent for drying because I enjoyed them outside for a long time on purpose.
But they dried perfect in this basket where I am enjoying them in a different way.
They were so spent that they were losing petals, so I just clustered them in this basket and they dried beautifully layered as such.
I love seeing flowers drying throughout my house, they add such a lovely pop of color.
Even zinnias dry especially nicely.
Such rich tones, but same, you must dry them when they are fairly fresh.
This zinnia below is from last summer, and it still looks great.
If you dry flowers (such as roses) when they are spent, then they likely will dry brown and be really fragile to the touch,
So, that's my secret tip.
Dry them fresh and you will get to enjoy them for a very very long time.
I'm a bit obsessed with dried flowers.
I especially enjoy them throughout winter, and they are beautiful for decorating the house with.
Sometimes, I even take a few little fresh flower buds.
At first it's really not that easy to take flowers when they are so fresh for drying purposes, because I think we instinctively want to enjoy them alive for as long as we can.
But I love dried flowers so very much that I know the reward that is to come.
So, there you have it, and it's just that time to start drying flowers right now.
I do many of mine in spring because roses slow down in summer.
But they will be back in autumn, and I will collect more.
It's such a joyful hobby, I love looking at them everyday.
Let me know if you give it a whirl.
I am so happy to be here typing to you today because I have been trying to create this blog post for almost 2 weeks.
My blog service kept glitching, then my computer.
But here I am now, woo hoo!
I hope you are staying safe and cozy in your homes as much as you can.
I am digging in the garden and watching Chateau Diaries on YouTube.
I am reading books, baking, cooking, cleaning.
You know, the never ending tasks that keep us busy.
Put on some good music and everything feels better.
I think I will work on some crochet again, I have not been crocheting in ages.
Truth be told, I always feel kind of guilty crocheting and watching movies, it always felt like too good of a luxury, when I should be being more productive.
But now that we have to stay home, crocheting seems like just the thing :-)
The only good thing about having to be home more is the lack of guilt I feel in enjoying shows or kicking my feet up and looking at pretty books.
I always put pressure on myself, things to do and places to go.
I wish the reasons I don't have to go anywhere were different.
But it is nice to just be able to do things at home and not feel like I should be going here or there.
So, there's that I suppose.
Miles is still doing a-okay, he's snoring right now as I type this and Matty is also snoring right behind me.
I'm looking out the front window at the mountains that are no longer on fire, thank goodness.
And I'm watching some monsoon clouds tease us.
I have pumpkins in my garden, which I am so in love with, imagine that?
Haha!
Many are just getting ready to be picked, so early I can't believe it.
I'll share more about that next time.
I hope you're doing well in your neck of the woods.
Lots of love from me and Matty and Miles!
Be well dear friends!
xoxo
Love, Vanessa
