If you find it hard to say goodbye to your favorite summer flowers, there are several quick and easy ways to extend your enjoyment of their beauty and save some money as well.
One of the best ways to preserve your flowers is simply to dry them. You may be surprised to discover how many blossoms can be dried and then combined into striking and long-lasting floral arrangements.
While there are many ways to preserve flowers, air drying them is one of my favorite methods as well as the simplest. Gather flowers through the growing season when they are looking their best, then strip the leaves after picking. Use rubber bands to bundle together the same variety of flowers into small groups. Make sure the rubber bands are tight so as the stems dry, they will continue to constrict around them. Dry large flowers individually.
Hang the flowers upside down in a warm, well-ventilated place out of direct sunlight. Once dried, spray the flowers with hairspray or an aerosol floral sealer to help prevent shedding and shattering. This is especially effective on ornamental grasses.
If necessary, use thin floral wires (found in craft stores) to strengthen the stems of the flowers. Now they’re ready to be arranged.
To learn more about drying flowers, check out the video below!