I love fresh flowers. I love Hydrangeas. I will even tolerate dried flowers…. as long as they’re Hydrangeas.
Here’s an easy way to dry them, and it’s amazing how long they will keep!
First, find yourself a Hydrangea bush. If your neighbors have one and you don’t… make friends with your neighbors.
Go ahead and clip the flowers that have opened up.
Strip the leaves off of the stem.
Now you’re ready to dry your Hydrangeas. It’s super difficult. Are you ready…?
Put them in water. That’s it.
If you try to dry a Hydrangea without leaving the stems in water, it will look like this.
However, if you simply put the stems in water and let the stems slowly suck up the water, it will look like this when it’s done drying.
Which do you like better?
This one? or this one?
For whatever reason, if the flower dries slowly, still slurping up a little water as it dries, it seems to retain its shape and color. For years.
This arrangement right here…?
I’ve had this urn of dried Hydrangeas for about 2 years now. They are white ones from my yard and as they dry, they take on a greeenish hue. I prefer lighter colored Hydrangeas when drying them, but that’s just personal preference.
Using an empty jar or vase, I fill it with water then put the shortest stems along the edge of the vase…
…then stick the longer stems in the middle. I want the arrangement to look full while it’s drying, but I don’t want the blooms to be smushed. (That’s a technical floral designer term: smushed)
Just make sure that all of the stems are well covered by water.
In this case, I pop the jar into a pretty vase and I will leave it just like this. When the full jar of water is empty, chances are that the flowers are dried and ready to be used. (If they are NOT dried, keep adding water until they are.)
This will sit, just like this, for a week or so. Then I’ll have dried Hydrangeas. Easy peasy.
Mary says
Awesome! My hydrangeas are just starting to bloom now, so I will try this soon. Thanks for the info! Have a great weekend, Mary :O)
Prudently Painted Vintage says
Sadly I don’t know anyone or have neighbors that are growing hydrangeas. Maybe I could go make friends with a total stranger 🙂
Very pretty!
Kaitlin Saenz says
I love this! I did this awhile back and gave the dried hydrangeas to my sister to decorate her room when she was redoing it and two and a half years later they still look beautiful! I was thinking about doing this for my place the other day! Thanks for the extra boost of encouragement to actually getting around to it!
I’ve been following you for a little while now and have really enjoyed it!:)
Kaitlin
Notsosimplehousewife.blogspot.com
Nicole@Thrifty Decorating says
I never realized that my laziness is what contributed to my perfectly dried hydrangea’s!!
I never remember to empty the water and they end up sitting there forever! LOL
Can I act like I knew what I was doing??
elizabeth says
I think you can act like that yes! He he!!
Johanson Family says
Beautiful! I bought some pink and blue ones for my gender reveal party and they are just gorgeous flowers!! I can’t believe how much water they need and I think that’s why most of my flowers die– I’m so lazy about watering– but I have kept these alive.. Always love your posts…
MiMi says
So basically once they’re dry you can leave em like that. Right? Cuz I’m the queen of letting flowers die and then dumping them out a week too late.
Heaven's Walk says
Great tutorial! I dried my “Blushing Bride” hydrangeas a couple years ago and I still bring them back out for the autumn season. 🙂
xoxo laurie
Heaven's Walk says
Great tutorial! I dried my “Blushing Bride” hydrangeas a couple years ago and I still bring them back out for the autumn season. 🙂
xoxo laurie
Erin says
Hi Vivienne,
I’m visiting from the French Country Cottage and am so glad to have run across this post! I have access to two hydrangea bushes, which are both beginning to bloom now, and I wanted to dry some of the flowers this year. Only problem was that I didn’t know what to do! Now I do, thanks to you. 🙂
Erin
Carolina Country Living
Kelli @ RTSM says
I love hydrangeas! My mom has some dried ones that she has had forever, but I always assumed she bought them somewhere…maybe she dried them herself it it’s that easy:) Now to find a friend who has a hydrangea plant!
Simplegirl says
I just posted on my hydrangeas and now I know what to do with them when I clip them, thank you so much for this tip! Glad to have found you.
Lydia says
Is there anything lovelier than a hydrangea?
slommler says
I too love hydrangeas!! I will definitely bookmark this tip!! Water well and wait. Love it!
Hugs
SueAnn
Connie Weiss says
I had no idea!!
I had light yellow hydrangeas in my wedding bouquet. Love them!
Alexis @ persia lou says
Hydrangeas are my faves, and I had no idea they dried so beautifully. Thanks!
Ange says
You know I”m loving this post, hydrangeas are so wonderful! 🙂 Thanks for that great tutorial.
The Answer Is Chocolate says
Thanks for the tutorial. These are so expensive to buy but I hadn’t tried drying my own!
Mary Ellen says
I love hydrangeas and would love to have some tips on how to grow them so that I would have some to dry!! I keep killing mine
Suesan says
Years ago, my mom and her friend went out at night and swiped some hydrangeas from some poor unsuspecting home owner. She and her friend would tee-hee over their loot whenever they got together. Their dried hydrangeas lasted for years. I do not own a hydrangea bush, so I may have to take a page out of my mom’s book. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure it’s nice and dark before I go out.
Thanks for the tips on how to dry my soon-to-be-acquired hydrangea arrangement.
Vicki V @ blestnest.blogspot.com says
You must have read my mind, because I was just wondering how to dry my hydrangeas. Unfortunately, mine are probably almost done for this year, but wait until next year! I’m going to have huge dried bouquets (I hope).
Amy @ Keep'n The SunnySide says
Thanks for the tute and tips. I have always loved the look of dried hydrangeas but had no idea how to go about it.
Funky Junk Interiors says
LOL!! Know what’s so incredibly funny? I always display my hydrangeas with water at first but FORGET about them. And yeah, they always dried and I always felt, “Man, they still look good so I’m not throwing them out!”
Little did I know that by being lazy, I actually did a good thing. Awesome. 🙂 GREAT tip!
Shared on FJI Facebook for SNS 83. 🙂
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Funky-Junk-Interiors/175378011140#!/photo.php?fbid=10150258571896141&set=a.192514281140.164586.175378011140&type=1&theater
Donna
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/
Just Jaime says
Beautiful! These are my mom’s favorite flowers, so this is great to know
Anonymous says
That is how to do it. I discovered this by accident many years ago. And those hydrangeas are still in good shape.
Red, Blonde and Burlap says
This is great! I love hydrangeas, but don’t like buying them all the time. I’m definitely going to try this!
Courtney ~ French Country Cottage says
Loving this tip Viv! I absolutely LOVE dried hydrangeas! I do place mine in water and love them everywhere in the house – but I am going to leave them now until they are fabulously dried too! Thanks for sharing this at FNF! 🙂
Handy Man, Crafty Woman says
I’ve always wanted to do this, thanks for the tips. Thanks for linking this up to Wicked Awesome Wednesday!
Kristi @ Addicted 2 Decorating says
Hydrangeas are probably the only dried flower I like. Yours are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing how you do it!
gail says
I love hydrangeas too! Mine didn’t bloom very much last year. I should have moved it over the fall/winter. 🙁
love your dried ones!
gail
Debra@Common Ground says
Gosh, who knew…? not me! I’ll try that this year. I like your so much better! Thanks for sharing the inspiration at VIF! xo Debra
Cecily says
Holy smokes! It’s like magic! You’re brilliant! Thanks for the post!
http://sneakapeekhomedecorating.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/simple-before-and-after/ says
ooh I am gonna try this, thanks
Kim @ It's a Crafty Life says
Who would’ve thought? Can’t wait to try it, thanks for linking it up!
Lindsey @ Inspiring Creations says
I wish I would have known this for my wedding bouquet! It was full of hydrangeas! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Jennifer says
I love hydrangeas! Wish I would have known this after my wedding!
Jen
Beverly@southernhomesweethome says
Thanks, I just posted this blog post on my blog. Wanted to let you know I love this hint and gave you credit for such a great hint!
Lauren @ My Wonderfully Made says
Thanks so much for this tip! AND I DO have a neighbor who has bushes and bushes of these and every year asks if I want them! I did dry them hanging one year and was not happy with how they dried (now I know why!) so this year I will gladly take what they offer!
Johnnie says
Lovely. I have never done anything like this before, and I have an empty vase I have been wanting to display. Thanks!
iram says
wow now that easy and the results are sooooo beautiful but too bad i cant find these flowers very easily hear in my area :(but i will keep my eyes open if i find some then i know what to do 🙂 erum from arts crafts n hobbies
Fishtail Cottage says
Wow – i never knew how…i tried to hang them upside down thinking that was the trick, but nope! Thank you for sharing. hope you link this post to Cottage Flora Thursday’s so more folks can see how to do this!?! xoox, tracie
Liz says
This is a great post! You should link it up for Fresh-Cut Friday! 🙂
~Liz
BeccaLynn says
Well how simple was that!
I will have to dry some this summer.
Your Hydrangeas are so beautiful!
Thanks for sharing.
Trudy says
Thank you so much for your great tips and hints!
Trudy
A Lived in Home says
They are my favorite and I never knew until now how to dry them properly! Thanks for the tips!
Mikey @ Shabby French Cottage says
Thanks!!! Last year I planted 6 hydrangeas; this year, I’ve planted 7 more! That’s right 13 hydrangeas! Now, not all of them are blooming quite yet, but boy oh boy will it be pretty! I can’t wait to have the house full of blooms. Plus I bought re-bloomers, so I have to cut to encourage new growth! Yippee!!
~Mikey @ Shabby French Cottage
http://www.shabbyfrenchcottage.com
Ladybird Ln says
What a fantastic tip, I have always wondered hwo they do that!
Carlee
http://www.ladybirdln.com
Foundinthe-ALI says
I just clipped some hydrangeas from the people I babysit for yesterday. I love hydrangeas. I’m so happy I can dry them!
Connie @ Measured by the Heart says
I love this! Thank you so much for sharing! Now I just need some hydrangeas. –connie, measuredbytheheart.com
Karena says
Vivienne I adore hydrangeas and would never have known this. I probably would have hung them upside down to dry, Ha!
Be sure to enter my awesome $250 Giveaway from Tracy Porter!!
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
Laura says
Thank you so much. I have some hydrangeas in a mason jar right now. I will just leave them be until they dry!
somersetstyle.blogspot.com
Brandi says
My hydrangeas are just starting to bloom. Thank you so much for your great tip.
Carmel @ Our Fifth House says
Thanks for the tip! I love hydrangeas!
Blessings from Cindy says
I had never heard of drying hydrangeas this way. Thank you for sharing!
Blessings,
Cindy
Stephanie Lynn @Under the Table and Dreaming says
Hi Vivienne, Great post – this actually reminds me I need to add another hydrangea bush to the garden this year. Thank you so much for linking to the Sunday Showcase Party. I featured this on Sunday! Hope you have a lovely week ~ Stephanie Lynn
Mystica says
Thank you for the tip.
Lori Alexander says
I have been trying this for several days and it isn’t working. They just shrivel up after about 4 days. I am following directions exactly so I’m a bit disappointed!
Anonymous says
Like Lori, mine shrivel up — with stems in the water — after just a couple of days. Any idea why???
Terry H. says
I don’t know anybody with hydrangeas, so now I am going to have to go out and buy a bush because these are so pretty. I love cut flowers in the house, and these will be so pretty this winter.
Sheri says
Thanks for the tutorial! I just bought 2 bushes and can’t wait to try this! Tip *** Try adding food coloring to the water and the flower will take on that color, blue, red, etc. Fun to experiment! ***
The girl with the golden quill says
I love love love this! I have 3 bushes and can’t wait to try this! Thanks so much! 🙂
Annalea says
If you want the color to stay truer, and the hydrangeas to be a bit more resilient, you can do the same thing but using glycerine instead of water. The flowers take it up, and it helps to preserve them.
But I like the water trick. I’m going to have to try it!
Junker Newbie Stephanie says
I had no idea it was so easy! thanks for sharing this 🙂
http://junkernewbie.blogspot.com/
Rebekah says
This is awesome! My blue hydrangeas are blooming right now and I have been wanting to know how to dry them.
Hydrangea Girl says
Oh this is excellent. I’m hoping to have hydrangeas at our wedding, and it’s looking like it will cost a fortune to buy fresh ones.
So trying this out starting this weekend.
THANK YOU.
city says
thanks for sharing.
Teacup Mosaics says
I am off to the garden!!!!!
Thanks!
Julie & Larry says
I did this last year with hydrangeas from the garden. The flowers are very large and vary in colors on the same bush. I then used them all to stuff in between the branches of my christmas tree. It was gorgeous.
Anne says
Always wanted to have dried hydrangeas to make wreathes for the doors: Christmas, Spring, Summer, Fall and so on. Now that I have the method to dry flowers and the bush right outside my window, I can go right ahead make my wreathes. Thank you for posting this
Sherrie Fairbanks says
Hi Vivienne, I wanted to let you know that when i searched on the internet about how to dry hydrangeas , your very awesome website came up!! I am in the process of doing this right now!!! because i loved this so easy idea, i wanted you to also know that i have linked your “drying hydrangeas to a page on my e-commerce store.at this bitly: http://bit.ly/1Ot0yIs
Thank you so much for this!! awesome!!
sherrie
Vivienne says
Great! Thank you and good luck!
Peggy Grover says
I love the whole idea of drying my own hydrangeas, but mine were purchased as a potted plant at publix. will they still dry well?
Donna says
once dried, can they still be dyed using Rit coloring or will they be too brittle and the flowers will crumble?
Flora F says
I had a bush of the HYdrangeas and when they bloomed I
I cut them and put them in water and they rooted. This is a good to get another Bush started.
Dotti Goldsmith says
I’ve been drying hydrAingas like this fo years. Theew are a few that dont dry, but the majority do, and they beautiful.
Furntastic says
It looks beautiful. Amazing tutorial. Thanks for sharing this post.