We need lots of flowers for our wreaths and other projects. The following is a list of what we like to use. These are tried and true. Air drying works for most (directions follow). Some flowers do better with vase drying, like hydrangea. That means putting the flowers in a vase with water and letting them dry.
- Artemisia, blossoms included
- Wormwood blossoms, while still yellow
- Dusty miller
- Nigella pods (love in a mist)
- Columbine pods, green is best but tan works
- Joe-Pye weed, before the buds open
- Ironweed before buds open
- Gomphrena (globe amaranth)
- Celosia (cockscomb)
- Lily pods, miniature
- Goldenrods if picked early
- Larkspur
- Delphinium
- Dried roses
- Blue salvia, ideally picked before it is fully open
- Any small allium
- Astrantia (masterwort)
- Tansy
- Feverfew
- Ornamental grasses
- Elecampane (horse heal)
- Dyer’s chamomile
- Thyme stems and blossoms
- Mountain mint seed heads
- Lady’s mantle-Leaves are beautiful
- Yarrow-Flowers and seed heads after blooming
- Nine-bark pods
- Hydrangea blossoms when mature for picking (Vase dry)
- Sea lavender (Vase dry)
- Sage blossoms after petals are gone
- Basil blossoms after petals are gone
- Small Queen Ann’s lace- Daucus carota-Cut the full plant, to include flowers and seed heads together
- Lamb’s ears, leaves and blossoms
Other flowers for air-drying. These are simply suggestions.
- Strawflower-If you are growing these, cut blossoms and buds throughout the season to encourage regrowth.
- Statice-Limonium
- Calendula- (pot marigold)
- Scabiosa-(pin-cushion flower)
- Valerian flowers-Cut long stems from the base
- Astrantia-Pin cushion flower
- Trifolium-Clover blossoms. Pick in the wild when in full flower
- Chamomile-At the end of summer when flowers are full. Long stems
- Fever few (Tanecetum parthenium) When in full bloom. Cut often for rebloom. Air dry
- Zinnias- Cut and come again. Pick when in full bloom, lay flat to dry, or use the “Grid or Screen”
- Daisies-Include stems, remove leaves. Hang upside down in cluster or use the “Grid or Screen”
Air drying is the easiest method for drying flowers: cut them when they are blooming or in the bud stage, depending on the flower. Usually, you will remove the leaves from the stems. Bundle with a rubber band or piece of twine and hang it upside down in a dark, humidity-free space (closet; although many people use their garages), until they are dried. Other drying methods:
- Oven-Spread flowers on baking sheet, bake at 200 degrees for 2 hours; or with oven light on overnight
- Silica method-For roses and other fleshy blossoms
- Microwave
- Grid or Screen-Use a Gridded flower flat, or old window screen that you’ve poked a few times. Push the stem through the holes until the blossom lies flat. Great for daisies, geraniums, and others you may try.