How To Make A Dried Hydrangea Centerpiece~ Part 1

 Dried Flowers In Fall Decor.

Fall is upon us. Whether you live in Southern California, where it's always hot, it seems to me anyway, or in a state that is truly 4 seasons, the calendar tells us it's time to pull out autumn decor. 

We have just recently begun storing all seasonal decor offsite, so to speak. So I had to enlist Larry's help retrieving my orange and black plastic bin of fall accents from our storage space.  I have a modest amount of pretty things; not bunches. I really like to keep our home's fall decor as simple and natural as possible. Having said that though, I will admit to a degree of jealousy I experience when I see gorgeous homes on Pinterest that feature basketsful of white pumpkins, an array of fall squash, pillows, throw-blankets, and the perfectly styled front porch. I have neither the space nor the budget, hence my abbreviated version of these dreamy vignettes.

The focal point of my autumn house is always a dried hydrangea flower arrangement on our dining table. Crafting this arrangement has become a tradition that I especially value. This is primarily because Larry made me this primitive box probably 8 years ago just because I was coveting one I saw in a magazine. Larry is an amazing husband in so many ways. And although I've said this before, he works so hard at making my dreams a reality. This perfectly rustic box is just a small example.

I have great success with my hydrangeas because they pretty much dry on the bush and all I have to do is bring them in and arrange them in floral foam. If they are not completely dry when I cut them it doesn't matter. After a few days in the house, they will be. 

Here are a few more views~

As you can see I added other natural elements. I used hop vines, also known as hop bines, from our landscape. Then I worked in a few small, white pumpkins and even a gourd. 

However, the longer I lived with the arrangement, the less I liked the gourd and so I took it out. There was something about just having one large gourd that looked glaringly out of place.

The trick to using small pumpkins with floral foam is to drill a hole about an inch into the bottom of the pumpkin and inserting a skewer or tiny dowel. Simply push the stick into the foam.

I also added sedum (Autumn Joy). I have plenty of it growing as well.

Many of you may not have hydrangeas growing in your landscape, but there are many other flowers that are great for drying. I have read that sunflowers are a great choice, and I know from experience that lavender is excellent. In addition, you should try coneflower, carnations, and roses, and the sedum. Air drying is by far the easiest drying method. Try tying flowers in small bunches and hanging them upside down in a low humidity space.

So while we're on the topic of dried flowers, let me show you my favorite lavender for drying. My personal choice is the variety, Hidcote. Isn't the deep color amazing? The plants themselves are not unruly, but rather compact~ very pleasing in a small space.

I didn't work any lavender into my centerpiece because purple was not a good choice. But there are plenty of other places I can display it.

I hope you like my centerpiece. In my next post, I will show you the actual mechanics of creating the arrangement, including a materials list.

Thank you so much for visiting today! I hope you will sign up to follow my blog via email!

Most Fondly,

Dana