Lorraine Hall from the Cleaning Corporation is this week offering hints and tips on how to dry fresh flowers in order to brighten a room.
According to Ms Hall, “dried flowers have a fragile beauty all of their own — you can dry flowers regularly or you may wish to preserve a flower or flowers that hold a special meaning for you.”
Plants that dry well include roses, hydrangea, honesty (remove the black seeds before drying ), grasses, gypsophila, nigella, peonies, lavender and yarrow. Avoid plants that are sappy like daffodils and irises, which need specialist-drying techniques.
If picking fresh flowers, pick in the middle of a sunny day when they will be at their driest, choosing those that are just about to open. Cut the stems to an even length and secure with an elastic band, which will stay tight as the stems shrink.
Hang flowers with heavy heads upside down to dry from a rack or indoor clothesline, and stand grasses in a large dry container, separated into small groups by chicken wire. Keep all plants out of direct sunlight and damp steamy areas such as the kitchen. When the flowers have completely dried out wrap each bunch in tissue paper and store until needed in a wicker hamper in a dry airy place. Flowers can be arranged in a basket using a styrofoam ball and craft wire to support the stems if required.
For further advice on a healthy home contact Lorraine Hall on 094 928 9000.
