Hydrangea are one of the most popular summer flowers. They put on quite a show during their peek and we all want a way to enjoy them well past the summer months. Taking a lesson from P. Allen Smith, here are 3 easy steps to enjoy these beautiful blooms well past their summer prime.
- Leave the hydrangea on the stem until they have come to complete maturity. They will, most often, start to turn a pink/green shade and their leaves will become more paper-like rather than feeling like a soft petal. When this happens, it is time to cut your hydrangea from the bush. Do so at an angle with sharp clippers. Leave about 14-18″ of stem for the drying process.
2. Using a hammer, gently smash the bottom of each stem to help aid the hydrangea in absorbing the water and glycerin.
3. Mix 2 parts water to 1 part glycerin. Glycerin can be found at your local pharmacy or grocery store. As the hydrangea absorbs the glycerin, it will begin to turn a golden brown. The blooms may continue to turn a richer brown days after all the liquid has been absorbed.
It may take a week for the hydrangea to absorb all the liquid, but once it does you are left with a gorgeous bouquet of dried hydrangea with varying shades of brown, that almost look like copper!
