Hydrangeas, we love them enough to want to enjoy them ALL YEAR LONG! After we are done enjoying them in the garden, we can bring them inside to use in dried floral displays, or simply on their own. I love bringing the garden inside and finding creative ways to enjoy my flowers all year long: Wreaths, dried floral arrangements, crafts…getting creative with flowers really
excites me!

If you are looking for the easiest way to dry your hydrangeas, as I always say with gardening “Timing is everything!”. Waiting until late summer/early fall is a no muss-no fuss way to have your blooms all year.

It’s simple:
1) Time it right!

Wait until the flowers have faded a bit, this is typically late summer, early fall and choose a dry sunny day. You will know when they are ready because the flowers have simply faded and dried right on the shrub. The blooms will be crispy to the touch and feel like paper. They will feel dried, and look a bit darker then when the flowers are in their prime, but not brown. *White hydrangeas will turn mauve. So just right for picking your dried flowers is when they are crisp to the touch, and still
have their color

Too early = wilted/droopy flowers. They are still damp to the touch and will wilt when picked
Too late = brown and crispy!

2) Simply cut your hydrangea stems with your pruners. I like to leave my stems long to give
myself options.

3) Strip the leaves from the stems, leaving just the blooms

4) Hang them to dry in small bunches or place them in a vase until you are ready to display them.

5) Make your plans for how to creatively use your blooms! I don’t know about you, but when its cold outside and there’s snow on the ground, having some pretty blooms not only gets me through the winter, but it brings me so much joy!