Flowers That Can Be Dried
Drying flowers preserves the bounty of the garden long after blooms fade. A variety of methods for drying flowers exist: Air-drying entails hanging flowers upside-down in a warm, dry place, while drying with a desiccant involves using drying agents like silica gel to draw the moisture out of flowers. Microwaving also works. A wide variety of flowers respond well to drying. Does this Spark an idea?
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Baby's Breath
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Baby's breath (Gypsophila paniculata) is a common filler item in floral arrangements. This perennial's small, dainty flowers and slender, pointed foliage produces a cloud-like effect that is striking when mixed with bigger, bolder flowers and foliage. Baby's breath requires a full-sun location and well-drained soil. Encourage repeat blooming by regularly pruning out spent blooms and foliage. Water deeply on a weekly basis when there is no rainfall, and feed monthly with an all-purpose fertilizer.
Bachelor's Button
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Bachelor's button (Centaurea cyanus) is an annual flower with narrow, gray-green leaves and button-like blue, pink, rose, red and white flowers. The plant blooms from spring through mid-summer. Bachelor's button grows best in a soil that is on the alkaline side, such as pH of 7.1. The plant requires full sun and weekly watering when there is no rainfall. Feed once in early spring with an all-purpose fertilizer.
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Bells-of-Ireland
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Bells-of-Ireland (Moluccella laevis) is an annual flower that is from the Middle East. The plant grows 2- to 3-foot-high flower spires covered in apple-green, bell-shaped blooms. Bells-of-Ireland requires loose, well-drained soil and full sun. The plant performs best in dry climates. Water Bells-of-Ireland twice weekly when there is no rainfall, and fertilize every three to four weeks with a well-balanced flower food.
Cockscomb
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Cockscomb (Celosia) is an annual that flowers in the spring and summer with brightly colored plumes in pink, orange-red, gold and crimson. Full-sized cockscomb varieties grow 2 to 3 feet high, while dwarf cultivars reach 1 foot. Water cockscomb when the first 2 inches of soil has dried. Fertilize once every six weeks with an all-purpose flower food.
Statice
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Statice (Limonium) encompasses a group of annual and perennial flowers. L. perezii is a perennial with large, leathery leaves growing from the plant's base and stems topped with purple pompom flowers. L. sinuatum is an annual with papery flowers that come in color combinations of purple, blue, rose, white, yellow and pink. Statice does well in full-sun and high-heat conditions, providing the soil is well-drained. L. perezii thrives along the coast. Fertilize statice once in the early spring with an all-purpose fertilizer.
Strawflower
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Strawflower (Helichrysum bracteatum) is an annual flower from Australia. The plant has 2- to 5-inch-long, medium-green leaves, and blooms from summer until frost with straw-like flowers that come in yellow, red, pink, white and orange. Strawflower requires full sun and watering when the first 2 inches of soil has dried. Fertilize monthly with an all-purpose flower food.
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