5 Easy Flowers to Grow for Drying
On the most part, flowers are quite easy to grow and dry. As long as you give them some love, they will give you blooms in abundance. I have five favourite flowers that are really no fuss at all to grow but I couldn’t help myself and add two more to the list as a bonus.
Why these flowers?
After having the entire winter to look over catalogs and fantasise on how my garden will look in the summer, I realised that 48 different cut flowers are a ridiculous amount of variety to grow, cut and dry. A girl can dream though! Firstly, I don’t have the space. Secondly, I can’t maintain 48 different varieties with their different watering schedules and such like and thirdly, my budget won’t allow it (this unfortunately is the main reason). So I sat down and planned out what I can consistently grow. My list of flowers had to tick all five boxes to make the cut, no pun intended.
The List
-
Does it grow WELL in my region
-
Is it low on maintenance
-
Is there a demand for flowers such as these in the market
-
Do they come in a variety of colours so to give choice to the customer
-
Are they prolific enough so that I can get my money’s worth for the time and effort put into growing them
These are the flowers I've settled on and I'm happy to grow this season. I do have to add a side note that I have Roses and Dahlia's already in the garden that of course I’ll cut for fresh flowers and also dry. There are marigolds and sunflowers that are going to be planted in my veggie garden and a very easy flower that I’m so looking forward to this summer are my Zinnias. But I digress!
Here are the flowers I’m growing to dry.
STATICE (Limonium sinuatum)
Edit Image
When to plant
September through to December and preferably in trays 5-6 weeks before last frost.
Where to plant
They are drought tolerant and love full sun
Colours
Beautiful blues, yellows, purples, whites, pinks
How long to germinate
7-14 days
How long to maturity
80 days from transplanting
Cut and come again
YES
How long to dry
Hung upside down they can dry almost immediately (5 days) and tend to keep their colour if you don’t leave them in sunlight
CELOSIOA FLAMINGO FEATHER (Celosia spicata)
Edit Image
When to plant
Spring and summer
Preferably plant in trays as they are frost tender
Where to plant
Sun / part shade
Colours
Flamingo feather as the name suggests are pink and have a grass like shape. It does come in other shapes and colours such as red, orange and yellow.
How long to germinate
5-8 days
How long to maturity
105 days to flowering
Cut and come again
Yes, if you cut them at the base of the stem
How long to dry
Hang and air dried for about 2 weeks
STRAWFLOWER (Helichrysum bracteatum)
Edit Image
When to plant
October through to March and are best transplanted
Where to plant
Full sun
Colours
From whites to pinks, autumn tones and deep burgundy, they are very eye catching.
How long to germinate
7-14 days
How long to maturity
85 from transplanting
Cut and come again
Cut when there are 3-4 sets of petals open but before the centre is visible. Give it the wiggle test. If it remains straight and doesn’t flop it's ready to cut. Cut the flower and leave the side shoots for more flowers to mature.
How long to dry
Hang air dried for 2-3 weeks. They are also known as the everlasting flower and they will literally last for years. Another name they are known as is paper flowers. If you gently rub your fingers over them and they sound like dry paper, they are ready.
YARROW (Achillea millefolium)
Edit Image
When to plant
September through to March
Where to plant
Full sun and loves to spread so give them room
Colours
There are many colours to choose from such as the common white to pastel colours of pinks and peaches. They are all gorgeous!
How long to germinate
They love to be direct sown and will germinate 14-21 days. You could transplant if you prefer but they can be temperamental so plant more than you need to compensate.
How long to maturity
70 days from direct sowing
Cut and come again or not
Yes, they will bloom again after cutting
How long to dry
Hang upside down to air dry for about 2-3 weeks
GLOBE THISTLE (Echinops ritro)
Edit Image
When to plant
September through to April
Where to plant
Full sun / part shade
Colours
A blue globe shape spiky flower
How long to germinate
14-21 days
How long to maturity
This is an perennial flower and will flower on second season
Cut and come again
Yes they will rebloom if you cut the flower at the base of the stem.
How long to dry
Hang upside down and air dry for 2 -4 weeks. They will retain their colour and shape when dried.
POPPY (Papaver paeoniflorum)
Edit Image
When to plant
September through to April
Where to plant
Full sun
How long to germinate
Best to stratify the seeds 4 weeks before planting. The seeds need light to germinate so don’t cover. They are difficult to transplant but with a little care it can be done. It is however best to scatter seeds where you would like to grow them after the danger of frost has gone.
How long to maturity
14-21 days
Cut and come again
No. I’m growing Poppy’s for their seed pods as they look amazing in bouquets and wreaths so I'm going to enjoy the flowers in the garden while they're blooming.
How long to dry
I usually leave the seed heads in the garden. If you rattle it and hear the seeds, the heads are ready to harvest. Then dry them upside down for about a week to make sure all moisture has gone.
FEVERFEW (Tanacetum parthenium)
Edit Image
When to plant
Stratify seeds in the fridge for 2 weeks prior to planting to break their dormancy. September through to March is planting season
Where to plant
Full sun
Colour
Tiny white daisy like flowers with yellow centre. They keep their colour when dried
How long to germinate
7-14 days and best sown in trays to transplant
How long to maturity
75 days from transplanting
Cut and come again
Yes, Feverfew are perennials so they will keep blooming. You can cut the leaves and stems to the base in autumn and it will regrow in spring
How long to dry
Hang upside down in small bunches for at least a week.
BUNNYTAILS (Lagurus ovatus)
Edit Image
When to plant
In spring
Where to plant
Loves sun and dry conditions
Colours
It's known for the white fluffy feather on the top of the stem but can be dyed if necessary.
How long to germinate
10-14 days
How long to maturity
100 days
Cut and come again
Best harvested before the seed heads shed their pollen and then harvest the whole plant. It is better to plant multiple times during the season
How long to dry
Hang upside down for 2-3 weeks or until the stem snaps when bent.
There you have it. These are my five (actually 7) easy flower choices to grow for drying. Were there any favourites or flowers you hadn't thought of?
The funny thing that happens with flowers is that the choices are so difficult to slim down aren't they!! I'm going to have a lot of fun with these and a few more this season. Flowers are amazing and give so much joy and colour to the garden that it really is hard to limit yourself. When you are growing to sell though, it's always good practice to go back to your list of questions and ask if they fit into the categories you have listed.
Let me know if you have any others you consistently grow on your flower drying list.
If you would like to get the list of questions and other information about choosing flowers you would want to grow in your garden, sign up to the Blooming Field Notes where you get exclusive information only given to members.
Until next time, happy planning and growing
