Posts Tagged: wreaths

Picking Plants to Dry

Drying plants for wreaths and arrangements is something I think about a little too late. Although I do have a group I harvest each year, I need to expand my selection.  

Limonium perezii, commonly known as Sea Lavender is one of my tried and true garden perennials that can be counted on year after year to put on a show. I harvest the fresh flowers for arrangements from spring through fall, but I especially like to use these flowers for wreaths in the fall.  A word of caution though, they fall apart pretty easily so be kind to yourself and keep them for outdoor wreaths.

Eryngium planum, aka Sea Holly and various Papaver spp. or Poppies have striking seed pods. They make interesting sculptural dried arrangements once you harvest the seeds for next year's plants. 

Sedum spectabile or Stonecrop has already formed quite a mass of green flower heads that are just beginning to turn to a rosy bloom. As we move into fall the rose will change to a rusty mauve. Harvest the stems at this point, hang them upside down in a dry airy place for a month or so to completely dry.

Yarrow, botanically known as Achillea millefolium is a little more fragile but will also dry if hung upside down in a dry airy place. 

I have room for more color in the garden next year so I would like to add some annuals that dry well such as Strawflower, Baby's Breath, Yellow Ageratum (Lonas inodora), Globe Amaranth, Helipterum and some Chamomile. I will start checking for seed packets late next winter. 

Sea lavender. (photos by Trisha Rose)

Poppy seed heads.

Sea holly.

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