Before starting the drying process, see that the flowers are not damp. Remove 3/4 of the foliage from flower stems. This helps speed up the drying process because it allows more airflow to the flower. It also discourages rot and discoloration. Remove all damaged or bruised petals and leaves.

1. Collect the flowers in small bunches.

2. Tie the flower stems with an elastic band or twine.

3. Hang them upside down, preferably in a dark room.

4. Keep the flower stems well spread apart and vary their heights to aide air circulation.

5. Leave them alone for about 7 to 14 days or more or until the flowers dry completely.

- Large flowers need to be hung individually.

-Air-drying can be very successful with herbs, everlastings and ornamental grasses.

1. Cover the flowers with sand in open deep boxes.

2. Make sure that the flowers are in upright position and deep inside the sand.

3. Pour the sand carefully and slowly over the sides and base of the flower, so as to maintain the natural shape and also they won't be flattened by its weight, until it is covered completely.

4. Leave the box alone for 2 or 3 weeks.

5. Rapid drying in a very warm, dry and brightly-lit place will produce bright blossoms; slower drying in a more humid spot will produce more muted colors.

6. Very carefully remove the sand from the flowers by tapping the sides of the box and very gently remove the flowers one by one.

7. Elongated and branched flowers should be placed horizontally and Sunflower or Daidy type of flowers can be dried by keeping face down.

-The basic problems with sand drying are that sand is heavy and sometimes damages the delicate petals. But nothing to worry, there is a best replacement for sand,...Silica Gel.

Silica gel is a desiccant, which means that it draws moisture out of the plant material. It is actually not a soft gel at all but granular - like sugar.

1. Layer the bottom, abt 1 inch thick, of a microwave container with silica gel.

2. Place the flowers on the surface and sprinkle the silica gel over the flowers.

3. After microwaving, for abt 2-3 minutes, the silica gel turns from bright blue to pinkish gray as they absorb moisture.

4. Leave overnight to cool and finish the drying process. ( Leaving them in the silica supports and keeps flowers in their original form )

5. Remove the flowers, when they feel papery, from the silica gel.

6. The faster flowers dry, the better they retain color.

7. If they are not dry after five days, allow them to continue drying but check them every day.

8. Flowers that are left in too long can become brittle and dark.

9. If the petals of a flower are dry, but not the base, remove the flower and cover only the part that still needs to dry.

10. Allow the flowers to cool in the container for at least 20 minutes after they are dried.

11. Once they are completely cooled, they can be removed and handled.

12. Use a small paintbrush to gently brush off any clinging granules.


-Silica gel is not cheap but it can be used over and over again.

-To dry the used silica gel, bake in an oven at about 250 degrees until the crystals are blue again. This may take about an hour.

-Stir the crystals several times while they are drying.

- store them in an air tight container.

1. Melt some paraffin wax.

2. Plunge each individual flower into the wax.

3. Remove and shake the excess wax off each flower.

4. Put it into the refrigerator to set and harden.

1. Place flower stems in a couple of inches of water.

2. Leave it aside, until the water evaporates.

3. The container and flowers should be in a dry, warm and dark location.


- Hydrangeas, yarrow, bells-of-Ireland and celosia can be dried well with this method.

1. Place the foliage between two wax papers.

2. With a medium heat iron press the papers gently.

3. New pieces of waxed paper must by used for each pressing.

1. Place flowers with face upwards between paper towels.

2. Defrost for abt 2-3 miutes.

3. Check blooms frequently for dryness.

4. When petals appear dry, allow flowers to stand in microwave for one minute.

5. Then give thin blossoms a 10-minute standing time outside the microwave; fuller flowers may need to stand for 30 minutes.

- zinnia, purple coneflower, rose, yarrow, can be dried well by this method.

Drying flowers in borax is probably the most successful method, although some can go brown. However, others stay amazingly true to their original summer colours.

1. Put an inch of household borax (from the chemist) into a box.

2. Place the flowers on it, sift over more borax to cover the petals in a deep layer.

3. Put the box in a warm airing cupboard.

4. Leave the flowers in the borax for 10 days.

5. Support them from underneath as you lift them.

6. Use an artists brush to brush off the borax and then store them carefully in a cardboard, box out of reach of dust.


-The best way of steeping them in the borax depends on the flower.

-Daisy shapes can be stood on their faces with only a short stem left.

-Delphiniums need to lie on their sides.

- Some dahlias may prefer to be hung so they can dangle in it.