Grandma Barb’s This and That

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Drying Hydrangeas

When the rain clouds started rolling in yesterday, I thought I better pick some of my hydrangeas before the rain ruined them.


Several of you have asked if I dry them.  Here is what I did.  I picked the biggest, best ones and put them in a bucket in the garage over night.


This morning I tied them in bunches of 3 and hung them on the old bird feeder stand I found on the curb last summer.  They are now drying in the garage.


I also have some drying in vases in the house.  I put them in a little water and let the water dry up.




I even have some in the bathroom that I dried last year.  After a year they are starting to turn a little brown.



Linking to
Share Your Cup Thursday #19

Hope you are having a wonderful day.
I'm always happy to see you drop by.
Until next time

Barb




54 comments:

Mari said...

I've heard they dry easily. Yours look beautiful!

Kerin said...

How wonderful!
You will have a stock-pile of wonderful dried blossoms to use!
Lucky you!!

I'm going to HAVE to plant this variety next Spring!!

Love that old bird feeder stand.

Smiles :)
Kerin

TexWisGirl said...

they're very cool.

Gail said...

I have some drying too
Barb! Yours are beautiful!!

Elizabeth Edwards said...

how long due you figure they will last in the "dry" state? so gorgeous. lovely. fun too. (:

EG CameraGirl said...

OH! I need to get outside and cut a few blossoms too!

andrea@townandprairie said...

I love dried hydrangeas but I always have better luck with them if I let them start to dry out on the bush a little...they stay fuller for me that way. I can never do it in the house without them collapsing too much. Yours look great!

Beth said...

Just beautiful!!

My Little Home and Garden said...

I have some drying in a big jug right now. They look so pretty over the winter months.

Audrey said...

I wish I could grow hydrangeas. I LOVE them. Yours are beautiful.
Hugs, Audrey Z. @ Timeless Treasures

Audrey said...

I wish I could grow hydrangeas. I LOVE them. Yours are beautiful.
Hugs, Audrey Z. @ Timeless Treasures

Deanna said...

Isn't it lovely to be able to enjoy the beauty of hydrangeas all year round? Thanks for sharing!!

Linda said...

They are lovely - I never thought to dry any of mine this year. Oh well, maybe I will have a good crop next year too!

momto8 said...

beautiful. this is the first year I planted them...so beautiful!! my boys told me they were their favorite flowers..next yr I'll try drying...

Brian King said...

Nice job with those! They look great!

Terriea Kwong said...

Dried flowers last long decoration. They're pretty. I was wondering would those green flowers turn to purple, red... as others do?

Diana LaMarre said...

It looks like they keep their pretty green color for a long time. nice!

Amy Burzese said...

Beautiful. I have to resort to fake ones since we have very little shade. A hydrangea would not make it in my yard.

Sherri B. said...

I will have to try this...they are lovely! Thanks so much for telling us how you did this, Barb!

Geneva said...

I love hydrangeas and yours are absolutely beautiful. I couldn't believe how many you were able to cut and dry. I'd love to try planting some in my little garden... it would be thrilling to see those glorious flowers. Thank you for sharing how you dry them and your photos were wonderful.

Anonymous said...

I just love that tub & the tall vase... I have my eye open for some around here! =)

Here's the link for the Mouse Over instructions... it's fun to play with! =)

orchid0324 said...

Dearest Barb,
Wow, in Japan we have variety of hydrogens and what a good idea to have them long by drying them♡♡♡
I wish I had one, but my garden is so tiny like me,(*^_^*)
Sending you lots of love and hugs from Japan, xoxo Miyako*

My name is Riet said...

Lovely green hydrangeas. I used to dry them in a vase too and make wreaths with them. Not any more.

Cloudy said...

So herrlich in Farbe und so passend zum Projekt...

Lieben Gruß
CL

Raindrops and Daisies said...

Those hydrangeas are wonderful.

When you put them in the bucket in the garage do you have water in the bucket Barb?

I couldn't hang mine off the bird feeder or they would be windswept and rain damaged :(

I dried some last year by putting them in a vase in t he kitchen
they still look nice.

Hope you have a great weekend

x

Raindrops and Daisies said...

ps forgot to say
thanks so much for linking up
with Green Day

x

Nancy said...

Mine always turned brown when I tried it. Yours look gorgeous!

Jill said...

These are just beautiful!

eileeninmd said...

Your hydrangeas are beautiful Great idea, thanks for sharing. Have a lovely weekend.

Anonymous said...

Hi Barb, Thanks so much for visiting me. I love your hydrangeas. I've seen Christmas trees decorated with dried hydrangea blossoms - very pretty! What a great idea to dry the blossoms on the bird feeder stand. Have a great weekend. I look forward to following your blog.

A Colorful World said...

I love that hydrangeas dry so well! They make the prettiest spots of color, with an old-fashioned flair, all winter long. I have always loved them!

Linda @ Life and Linda said...

How beautiful and to be able to use them as flower arrangements is wonderful. I am your newest follower. Enjoy the week-end.

Vores have said...

Great pictures you show.
Ingenious idea to dry hydrangeas.
Wishing you a good weekend :)
Hanne Bente

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

I've never tried that, but what a clever idea!

SImple and Serene Living said...

I wish I had dried some before the heat got them. Maybe next year :)

Debbie said...

what a great idea and a wonderful way to savor their beauty!!

they look great!!

Kranky Granny said...

How wonderful your hydrangeas can be enjoyed by all the passers by and then again by your visitors and you yet some more time.

Eileen said...

Lovely Green Day photos. I love hydrangeas.

E. said...

Lovely pictures! And a great idea! :)

Cindy Adkins said...

Hi Barb,
Hydrangeas are one of my favorite flowers! I love them both fresh and dried. Yours are beautiful!
Hugs, Cindy

Mary said...

I love hydrangeas, any color, size, dry or fresh...potted or in garden. Hummmmm note to self..plant some hydrangeas.

Cottage and Broome said...

I dry my hydrangeas in vases. I love how you hung yours on the old bird feeder! Thanks for stopping by, Laura

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson said...

Barb these are gorgeous! Wish I had blooms like the to dry. Really do not have much luck here with Hydrangeas. I do have a Limelight tree that does well and I dry them. Your blooms are huge and I love the bird feeder stand. What a find!
Hugs,
Jann

Rose said...

These are beautiful!

Faye said...

It will be worth the effort to have these beauties dried for the winter. And how lovely they are in those ironstone pitchers.

Pondside said...

I have hydrangea blossoms to dry for the first time, this year. The plants have been there forever but have never bloomed. I will follow your tips for drying and see what happens.

Cheryl @ TFD said...

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing how you dry them. Your old bird feeder was a great find!
Have a wonderful week!

JOY @ http://joysjotsshots.blogspot.com/ said...

I know I shouldn't always want, but these flowers have been something I've yearned for a long time. Beautiful! Your plant hanger was the perfect place to display them. Do they dry differently, maybe hold color, when dried inside vs. outside?

Sherry said...

Can't believe how full & green your hydrangeas are! They almost look artificial!

Kathy said...

Wish I had a bouquet of these for my place!

Honey at 2805 said...

They are beautiful! Thank you for sharing at Potpourri Friday!

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

Such nice big bundles, Barb! I didn't get any blooms this year! Do you know what variety those are?

Liz@ HomeandGardeningWithLiz said...

Are these Annabelles? I should cut some of mine now they are already changing!

Alicia@ eco friendly homemaking said...

Oh I love Hydrangeas. My mother-in-law used to dry them but I have never seen any as big and beautiful as yours. They are just gorgeous!