Globe amaranth, Gomphrena haagena 'Strawberry Fields'

In my daughter Kara’s garden, we are growing mostly fruits that are her favorites, like strawberries and blackberries. Since the blackberries haven’t grown much yet, we are using some of that garden space for other useful plants. We put our potato bags in that area. We planted pumpkin and watermelon vines. And we filled in with flowers that we can pick for flower arrangements – especially those that can be dried for dried flower arrangements and craft projects. These flowers are called “everlastings”.

Sea Holly, Eryngium 'Big Blue'

Here are some of our favorite flowers for drying:
Astilbe
Baby’s breath
Bachelor’s buttons
Bells of Ireland
Calendula
Cockscomb
Feverfew
Globe amaranth
Hydrangea
Larkspur
Lavender

Strawflower, or Bracteantha bracteata.

Miniature roses – pick while in bud
Scarlet and blue sages
Sea Holly
Statice
Strawflower
Yarrow – yellow varieties dry best

Flowers continue to open as they dry, so the flowers should not be fully open at picking. Use only plants and flowers free of insect and disease damage, since the damage becomes more obvious after drying. As soon as possible after picking, strip off the leaves. Divide the flowers into small bunches and tie the stems together with rubber bands, stretched enough to hold them securely without breaking them.

Lavender bunches

Hang the flowers upside down in a warm, dry, place, out of direct sunlight until dry. An attic, closet, or pantry is often an ideal place. Avoid basements or porches where dampness may cause the bundles to mold.

Since stems shrink as they dry, using twist-ties may result in your flowers falling to the floor!

A few larger flowers, such as hydrangea, are sometimes dried in this way. Since they are quite large, they should be hung individually rather than in bunches. Make sure that the hydrangea blooms are fully open, or the bracts may wilt and not hold their shape as they dry.

In addition to garden flowers, many seed heads of grasses and other plants can be hung to dry. I especially like the seed pods of Baptisia, Penstemon and Vitex, and the seed heads of Northern Sea Oats, Chasmanthium latifolium.

If you pick the Sea Oats when they are green, they will remain green when dry.

Northern Sea Oats, Chasmanthium latifolium

Let them mature to a tan color, and that’s the color they will be.

Don’t pick them at all, and you will have hundreds of Northern Sea Oat seedlings to deal with next spring!

Happy Gardening,

Sue