I am on a dried Hydrangea KICK!

I can’t get enough of them and they are all over our home this late summer season. Two falls ago when I was pregnant with Juliette my sweet Joel shut my garden down for me, alas, I looked out the window to see he had hacked down my best Endless Summer. What could I say? He was just trying to help. She has finally recovered and this year brought forth so many blooms! (FYI: Don’t cut down your Hydrangea… at least not most varieties as the blooms spring forth from the dead wood of the previous year!) All my others are in recovery mode after the big Potager/Garden expansion last fall – giving just a few blooms this summer. Next year should be Hydrangea heaven though!

If you haven’t grabbed Brooke Giannetti’s Patina Style you simply must do so! Looks like she loves them too. It’s got to be their muted, graceful tones that simply can not be duplicated with any other flower, fresh or dried.

Patina Style montage – Google Images

Patina Style book cover – Google Images… you won’t believe this book! And the follow up book Patina Farm!

Patina Style page – Google Images

Truth be told, I don’t even have it yet but I devoured it the other day at Mom’s! It is YUM! With a name like “Patina Style” how could it not be??? There is no other word like “Patina” – especially for those of us obsessed with it!

DRYING HYDRANGEA
Step One:
Have patience.
Sure, if you can’t take it you can cut a couple and bring them in to enjoy but the will finally droop and disappoint. The more patience you show in cutting time the more lovely, muted tones you will get and the fuller, dried blooms that you covet.

NOT READY.

READY. She could even “stay on the vine” a few weeks longer.

A ready/not ready combo. I know, it’s difficult to wait but if you just hold out you will be amazed at the colors you will get to enjoy indoors for the next year or more.

Step Two:
Smash base of stem, just a little.

Step Three:
Add water and flowers to your vase.
To REALLY manipulate the color of your blooms you can add Rit Dye to the water. (I did not do that to mine.) If your stems are scrawny you can dry them by hanging them upside down. I should have done that to a couple of mine.

Step Four:
Wait patiently as it evaporates. Over the days your blooms will change colors a bit yet again… many of these blooms are from the photograph earlier in this post. See how they have blued?

Step Five:
Enjoy!

9 Comments

Ewa on September 3, 2011 at 4:19 am

Book seems to be very nurturing. Thanks for sharing. Ewa
Karena on September 3, 2011 at 5:09 am

Oh I am so thrilled that you have shown us this tutorial!! I love hydrangeas and have the perfect spot for a large dried bundle of them!

Come and join my Fashion Giveaway from Fresh Produce

xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
laxsupermom on September 3, 2011 at 12:04 pm

I love hydrangeas, and need to put a hardier variety in my garden next year. Our very cold zone 4 needs special consideration. Beautiful images! Thanks for sharing.
Teri Nolan-Range` on September 3, 2011 at 3:18 pm

Thanks for the great tip! Now, I know how to enjoy those blooms, endlessly!
Best~
La Dolce Vita Girl on September 3, 2011 at 3:23 pm

Thank you for the tip! I am thrilled that I can enjoy my favorite flowers all year long! We also cut ours down by accident last year, so although we have a huge plant growth…very few blooms! I will run to cut and save them!
Best~
Amber on September 3, 2011 at 5:03 pm

Thanks for the tips Angela! I actually have shade at our current home so I planted them. I cut a few and just put them in an urn to dry. All good till one of the twins created a “snow” shower! Ah well, there’s always next year!
xo, Amber
p.s. Hope you’re feeling good.
Sherri on September 3, 2011 at 8:42 pm

I used to have a huge hydrangea tree! I always dried many, many blossoms and I really love them! The ones in your pictures are just awesome!!!
Vickie Wiles on September 4, 2011 at 3:30 pm

So beautiful, Angela. Hope you’re doing well this last little bit before baby #4 arrives. God bless!
Bliss on March 26, 2012 at 1:58 pm

I think I already failed step #1 and I don’t even have any hydrangeas yet!

~Bliss~

How to Dry Hydrangea

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