Autumn can be a really vibrant season for dried flowers and seed pods

Dried hydrangea flowers

The hydrangeas are turning to antique shades in the garden. I pick some every year to dry indoors – hope you like this year’s picture below! If other years are anything to go by, the dried hydrangea flowers will look very similar in a few months time, albeit crispier! Read my post about experiments in making dried hydrangea flowers.

Drying Chinese lanterns aka physalis

If you have Chinese lanterns in your garden, they can be cut in the the same way as flower bunches and hung to dry. The foliage is not very attractive, but can be removed if preferred. Once dry, display the stems in a vase, or the individual Chinese lanterns can be picked off the stems and used as a seasonal decoration in a bowl.
Drying Chinese lanterns – tip – leave these bunches as long as you can to dry, because the inside of the lantern can be slow to desiccate. Read more about drying flower bunches by hanging.

I used to grow them in my own garden but found them rather invasive, so now I buy them. At the beginning of the season I bought some fresh and hung them to dry in my workshop. But then I found a British grower that dried the Chinese lanterns for me, and the result is fab (photos above)! You can buy these dried flower bunches online in our shop.

Dry seed heads

Poppies and love-in-a-mist (nigella) are common garden flowers that dry easily once they have gone to seed. Both self seed generously around my garden, and I wrote posts about drying love in a mist and drying poppies a little while ago. The dried seed pods make a lovely filler in dried flower bouquets.

Wheat sheaves are a reminder of harvest time

Wheat sheaves are a very traditional decoration for this time of year. If you have a friendly farmer nearby, you may be able to source some locally. Otherwise garden centres and craft shops often stock it. Just cut the stems to your desired length and tie firmly under the ears of dried corn.