Drying Hydrangeas: Preserving Summer Beauty

If you are from the south, I am sure that you are familiar with hydrangeas.  For many years people have dried these beautiful blooms to preserve the summer beauty into the fall and winter seasons.
You may have tried to dry these blooms yourself but were left with little more than dead flowers. It really isn't too difficult but you still need to do it right.
The first method is simple. Just cut your blooms and place them in a vase. Let the water evaporate from the vase and the blooms will dry naturally. When they are completely dry, you can remove them from the vase and lightly spray them with hairspray or clear acrylic. Some of the natural colors may be accented with floral spray paint to lightly mist the petals to add a hint of more vibrant color.

The second method requires that you cut the blooms from your plant and tie them in small bunches and hang them upside down in a cool, dry, dark place until fully dried. This method will preserve some pink colors. Blues do not always dry with very much of their color but can be tinted with floral paint.

The third method is to let the flowers dry naturally on the plant. After the plant has died back for the season, you can remove the blooms and spray with clear acrylic. The downside to this method is the weather. You will run the risk of having the blooms damaged by heavy rain or wind if you do not cut them in a timely manner.

As stated before, Whites and pinks will retain some of their natural pink or burgundy hues whereas blues and purples may not retain their colors in which case the floral paints are a good option. Any spray paint can be used, however, floral paints are more subtle and offer softer color options. and the paint is not as heavy on the delicate blooms.

We hope this helps alleviate any anxiety you may have about drying these beautiful blooms of summer. Let us know what works best for you. Drop us a comment and share your experience with other subscribers.