Sunday, October 03, 2010

Dried Flower Arrangements

A few weeks ago, I made a dried flower arrangement for our master bathroom, from lavender and dried grasses:
I think it turned out quite well. Since then, I have added some dried purple sage along the front, which filled the arrangement in nicely, and hides the green oasis.  I'll try for another photo when we have a bright day, so that the colours will show better.

Anyhow, that intial success encouraged me to try again, with some Nigella from my mother-in-law, and dried Lamb's Ear, also for our bathroom (which may now be the most decorated room in the house!):
Today, I decided to make a more ambitious arrangement for the dining room, from a variety of dried flowers in the garden, picked before it rains tonight.  I found a small basket in the garage which matches the colours of the dining room as well as the colours of the fall arrangement:

I'll try again for a better photo when it is bright enough not to need the flash, but this photo gives some idea of the result.  My daughter thought I bought the arrangement, not made it myself, so I take that as a very nice compliment.  Among the variety of dried flowers are: poppies and nigella seed pods from my mother-in-law, coneflower centers, bright red rose hips, iris seed pods (the dark ones), lavender, crocosmia, allium, and a few stars (bright green, but I suspect they will fade nicely into the arrangement) of umbrella sedge (Cyperus alternifolius).  I am also drying some more stems of purple sage, and may add a few to fill in the arrangement.  We'll see.

I am very pleased with the outcomes, and may make some attempt next year to dry even more flowers.  For example, my globe thistle should make a wonderful cut flower if I cut and dried it before it blooms.  At this point in the year, the little globes are crumbling apart.

9Oct2010: Here's perhaps a better photo of that last arrangement, with some purple sage also added in:

4 comments:

Laura Gardens in Desert said...

Very Nice. The soft grey really pops in the last photo. I just purchased essential oils to add to the potpourri, and all that I could decide on was Sage and Tangerine. Your bouquets are lovely!

Kelly said...

...I would like to make flower arrangements one of these days. Yours are gorgeous! The lavender in your beautiful bathroom is my favorite.

p.s. I used to have a pet rat too. I loved him so much! He was incredibly sweet and tame.

Anonymous said...

You did a fabulous job on these arrangements. I especially love the lambs ears. You are certainly talented! Thanks for sharing the photos.

tina said...

You did well drying all those flowers. What a fantastic way to keep the garden in your mind by bringing it inside for decorations. Your master bathroom has a great color!

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