DRIED FLOWERS

-How to-

Air drying is probably the most common method used to dry flowers and is certainly one of the oldest and most traditional methods of drying flowers, which needs the least resources. Drying your flowers will keep your bouquet most true to the form it's currently in. Once dried, you can leave your flowers as a bouquet, frame them in a shadow box, or turn them into a wreath.

You will need:

• Flowers
• Elastic bands
• A coat hanger or a clothes horse and pegs
• A cool, dark space to dry the flowers
• Hairspray

Follow these steps:

1. Remove any foliage from the stems of your flowers.
2. Group flowers of the same type together in bunches of five or six.
3. Tie these bunches together at the bottom of the stems, with an elastic band.
4. Hang your flowers from hooks or on a coat hanger or clothes horse secured with a peg.
5. Pop your flowers in a cool place, such as a dark cupboard or a room you don't use often.
6. Wait two to three weeks but check how your flowers are getting on regularly. If they don't seem to be drying, move them to a different spot.
7. You'll know your flowers are ready as the petals will rustle when touched! When you feel that they're dry enough, carefully remove them from their hanging spot.
8. Finally, preserve your air dried flowers with a spritz of hairspray! Then, enjoy the final result displayed in your home.

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