One of the most beautiful flowers, either fresh or dried is Hydrangea. Hydrangea is loved for its bright, colour changing blooms.
Hydrangeas are luscious florals that bloom from early spring to late autumn. These flowers grow in flower heads at the end of their stems - containing two types of flowers in the head.
These perennial plants are an insanely popular choice in gardens. They can be grown in pots or garden beds and thrive in most soil types. The colour of the flower will depend on the pH of the soil - resulting in a blue, white or pink flower.
One of our favourite flowers, hydrangea has been popular in homes and bridal bouquets over the years.
If you have the garden for it, we highly recommend growing these stunning, clustered flowers for yourself, in an array of colours.
How to grow hydrangea
Hydrangeas are quite reliable and are known for producing stunning garden displays each summer. They come in a variety of shades such as white, pink, blue and many others. Their large leaves and colourful heads will attract people to your garden when these beauties are in all of their glory.
Most hydrangea is easy to grow. They are best suited to a spot in the garden that gets morning sun but enjoys some partial shade in the afternoon. Hydrangea doesn't like very hot conditions so ensuring they get some shade throughout the day is essential. Hydrangea thrives in a rich, moist soil that can drain easily.
We recommend planting hydrangea in Spring when the cold winter mornings have passed. Ensure you water your hydrangeas regularly after planting.
How to dry hydrangea:
Hydrangeas should be cut for drying and for flower arrangements when they are mature.
Things you’ll need:
- Hydrangea Flowers (from wholesale flowers or markets)
- Scissors, ideally florist scissors
- Flower Vase
Method:
- Cut the hydrangea stem to your desired length.
- Find an empty vase for your hydrangea. Simply put the hydrangea stem upright in the vase and place it in a cool, dark room with good circulation.
- Once dried, remove the flowers from the vase and lightly spray with hairspray to protect the delicate flowers.
- Put the hydrangeas together in a vase or bouquet and place them in your home or give to someone as a gift.
How to preserve hydrangea:
Things you’ll need:
- Fresh Hydrangea Stems
- Floral Scissors
- Vegetable Glycerine
- Vase or Large Jar
- Boiling Water
Method:
- Similar to air drying, cut the hydrangea stem to the size you’d prefer. We recommend only using hydrangeas that are mature.
- Boil enough water to fill your large vase or jar. You will need 2 parts boiling water, to 1 part glycerin. Pour the boiling water into your jar, add the glycerin and stir until it has dissolved. Allow the solution to cool slightly, then, add in your hydrangea stem - about a third of the stem will be submerged in the solution (don’t submerge the petals or hydrangea head).
- Store the hydrangea in the vase, in a cool, dark room. Check on the flowers in a few weeks. It can take anywhere between 2-6 weeks. If the solution is looking a little empty, you can add more during this preserving process.
- To tell if the hydrangea is ready and preserved - the petals will feel rather soft and smooth. The petals may be darker in colour as well.
- Once preserved, remove the stem from the solution and trim a few centimetres off the end that has been submerged in the water. Style your preserved hydrangea in a trendy vase or add some stems to your own preserved flower arrangement.
Hydrangeas are one of the most popular dried flowers. Preserved and dried hydrangea is a simple and affordable statement piece for your home. It looks amazing in a vase on its own or added to some other dried flower stems.
We love using dried hydrangea in our arrangements, it is almost in every one we create!
Such as our King Protea Arrangement featuring stunning white preserved hydrangea or our Autumn Arrangement with pops of coloured dried hydrangea.