Fall

how to dry hydrangea

As summer flowers go to seed I lean in to dried florals and foliage for seasonal inspiration. Learning how to dry hydrangea is simple and the flowers last for months. Possibly the best thing about hydrangeas is preserving the color of their blooms. This process is simple help your hydrangea color become that gorgeous muted hue.

Today I clipped hydrangea from the garden for the purpose of drying. Usually by mid August my garden is beginning to end it’s plant-life-span and the flowers go to seed or die out entirely. This is the moment to clip a bundle of hydrangea and dry them! The drying process is super simple and you can, although it’s not necessary, hang your flowers upside down. After you cut the stems, add the hydrangea to your vase of choice and allow the tips of the branches to sit in a couple inches of water. Over the course of about 2 weeks the petals will become paper-like and the color will darken slightly. Dried flowers last indefinitely if cared for properly making them a pretty and practical choice as we ease into Fall.

I’m also loving the dried plume reed in this large recycled glass demijohn vase. These vases stand alone beautifully just about anywhere or in my case, an awkward kitchen corner.

How to dry Hydrangea

Begin first by clipping your garden hydrangea branches on an angle.
Give your hydrangea a good rinse or an ice bath when you bring them inside. Hydrangea like lots of water and cool temperatures.
Place hydrangea in a wide container with 2 or 3 inches of water and allow the flowers lots of space so air can get to the flowers.
Leave your hydrangea for a couple weeks. At this point the petals should be paper-like. If not, add a little bit more water.
Once the petals feel like paper and the color of the flowers appears darker, the flower is sufficiently dried.
Place in bundles in vases around your home.

Dried flowers will last for months and are fun to have on display between seasons.