This fall I decided to use some of my hydrangeas to make a dried flower wreath
for the front hallway.
One popular method for drying hydrangea is to put them in a jar or vase with about an inch of water. By the time the water disappears, the flowers are dry.
Another easy way to dry them is to hang bunches of flowers to dry. Simply secure them with an elastic band and hang them in a cool, dry place that out of direct sunlight.
When I decided to make a wreath I began by drying some flowers. Then I tried to tuck the dried hydrangeas into position on a grape vine wreath. It didn't work at all!
Dried hydrangeas are brittle and I ended up breaking most of the flowers. What a mess it made on my kitchen counter!
So I started over.
Hydrangea paniculata 'Little Lime'
This time I used fresh flowers.
With the cool fall temperatures, hydrangeas are already dry and papery. Fresh stems are strong and woody making them easier to use.
I found that it was best to attach the bow first and then work around it.
Take a length of wide red ribbon and fashion a bow.
Turn the bow over and insert a fine florist's wire through the centre knot.
Place the bow onto the wreath and poke the wires through the grape vines to the back. Turn the wreath over and twist the ends of the wire closed.
Cut the hydrangea flowers to approximately 8-10" in length.
Remove the leaves (Sorry, I missed a couple when I was taking pictures).
It doesn't really matter where you begin to assemble your wreath. Just make sure you work in a single direction.
Take a hydrangea flower and tuck the stem in among the grape vines. I found that the maze of grape vines held the flowers really well, but if you want to make them even more secure, you could tie on some florist's wire and wrap the wreath with wire as you go.
Once you get on a roll, the wreath comes together very quickly.
I think my finished hydrangea wreath will look great in my front hall this holiday season.
