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Harvest Flowers
| Article
# : |
18153 |
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Section : |
LIFE
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| Issue
Date : |
11 / 1990 |
1,957 Words |
| Author
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Judy Ford Hogan
Judy Ford Hogan, an internationally known floral artist, is
the author of Fabric into Flowers. |
Dried flowers, foliage, and field plants have been Thanksgiving decorating media ever since the Pilgrims' first celebration. Pictorial re-creations of that banquet show tables garnished with leaf-laden branches in all the colors of fall. Such dried arrangements continue to grace our homes to day, but the range of dried materials available is greater. Because of new and easier drying methods, contemporary arrangers can create dramatic designs using plants of all species.
Exploring the world of dried flowers can be as pleasurable as a walk along the roadway or as simple as a trip to the local floral supplier. Almost any flower grown in the garden or bought at a shop can be dried at home or purchased in a dried state from floral supply stores or craft shops. Although often overlooked by professionals and amateurs alike, field plants, weeds wild grasses, and foliage form shrubbery or trees also make strikingly beautiful arranging materials when dried.
Commercially produced dried floral materials, reasonably priced and long lasting in quality, enable a flower lover to enjoy the beauty of natural material year round. Large-scale processors of dried flowers and foliage use the same three drying techniques as the newcomer to the craft. Foliage is usually dried by a liquid preservative method. To retain the brilliant colors and delicate shapes of blossoms a special compound of either sand or silica gel is preferred. Field plants and some garden and florist flowers can be air dried. Learning how to dry flowers and other plant material is an enjoying pastime as well as an intrusting educational experience. Newcomers to the craft will find each method
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