Hydrangea paniculata and H. arborescens

can be easily dried with their stems upright in a vase. With any Hydrangea bloom, it’s important to wait until the florets all are completely open. Hydrangea varieties ‘Incrediball’, and ‘Incrediball Blush’ dry incredibly well if you pick them after their petals have dried a bit on the plant. Panicle Hydrangeas ‘Vanilla Strawberry’ and ‘Limelight’ also dry very well in a vase.

Celosia

There are three common types of ornamental Celosia that can be used for drying: wheat, plume, and crested.

• • The wheat types of Celosia are the easiest to work into a garden setting, offering a more subtle, upright form with flowers elongating as the summer wears on.
  • The plume type of Celosia is hard to ignore in the garden; its flowers keep growing until they set seed, at which time it’s too late to harvest them. Celosia Kelos ‘Candela Pink’ is All-America Selections choice for 2021. Judges liked its ability to keep on blooming all summer, keeping its bright pink color and, as an added bonus, can be used for dried arrangements.
  • Crested Celosia is, in my opinion, an acquired taste—more of a novelty than a “plays well with others” garden plant. This form is often referred to as cockscomb for its resemblance to the bright poultry organ. Tall varieties can be hard to find at garden centers, but they can be started from seed.

WHAT TO DO WITH DRIED FLOWERS AND PLANTS

You can be creative with crafting dried flowers or just chuck your flower stems in a vase. About the vase?

1. Choose a vase that can’t be seen through. No one wants to look at dried flower stems.
2. Create a wreath. Wreath-making is best done with fresh stems because they’re more pliable and easier to work with. Mountain Valley Growers, in Squaw Valley, CA, offers step-by-step instructions along with suggestions of plants for the project.
3. Make a simple, fragrant lavender sachet. I used organza gift bags, added some beads and lavender stems and made ornaments for my Christmas tree.
4. Make a lavender wand.

Use the plants listed in this article, or try some of the flowers you already are growing. There are pressed flower crafts that can use even more varieties. Whether you grow your own blooms or buy a bunch when you can, knowing you can preserve them will have you looking at flowers in a whole new light.