The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1958-06-06

During the late fall we will have
a workshop on arranging our dried
/ flowers we recently learned how to
dry, at workshop with Miss Paul
| inc Gordon, house furnishing and
housing specialist.
Most of the flower seeds men,
toned below can be ordered from
| w. Alter Burpee Co., Philadelphia
80, Pennsylvania.
What To Plant For Drying
Some flowers retain their colors
better than others, and some colors
keep better than others.
Yellow and orange will dry most
nearly the colors of fresh flowers.
Reds usually change. Some turn a
muddy purple, while others fade
into a faded red-orange. Pinks do
not hold their clear colors. In many
cases they turn tan. Whites dry
cream. All other colors have a ten
dency to look brown.
This does not mean that you can
not get pretty colors, but you need
to know the colors which change
in the dehydrating process, and
you will need to think on terms
of the finished colors rather than
those of the fresh flowers.
Remember also, that flowers
with lots of shaggy small petals
dry better than those with a few
smooth petals. 1t must be that
there is more surface exposed.
Since shaggy zinnias, marigolds,
and chrysanthemums dry better
than the smooth ones, be sure that
some of your seeds are the shay
gy varieties.
Some flowers you will surely
want to try are:
l. Straw Flowers-they are the
very easiest things to dry. All you
have to do is strip off the leaves
and hang them upside down. They
come in a variety of shades of red,
orange. and white.
2. Bachelors Buttons, Globe Am
aranth, or Aramanthus-those lit
tie flowers the size and shape of
marbles that come in white, pink,
and red-purple are so easy to dry,
and hold their colors so we'll.
| 8. MarigoMs-in various shades
of yellow, orange and bronze. The
shaggy African varieties are bet
ter for drying than the smooth
French varieties.
A. Celosia-both the crested and
plume types, better known as
"Cockscomb," and Princess Feath-
er" come in a variety of shades of
red, orange, yellow and bronze.
The red crested ones are perhaps
the most desirable of materials
for the focal points in arrange
ments, though they fade slightly
drying.
5. Lumaria-sometimes called
Honesty" or "Money Plant" will
furnish some much needed white
for the arrangements. The peeled
seed pods look very much like
silver half dollars growing on a
stem, and are excellent for giving
depth to an arrangement.
6. Statice-in white, yellow and
purple, makes a good filler. These
are perennials and are obtained
by dividing existing clumps.
Z. Heather-a lovely light pur-
pie flower, also a perennial, gives
wonderful spike material for lines.
8. Chrysanthemums-in a var
iety of colors. Also perennials.
When you have grown and dried
these successfully, then branch in
to the more difficult ones. After
you have acquired a little skill in
handling dried flowers it is pos
sible to prepare: Pansies, Violets,
Cameilias, Lilacs, Larkspur and
Delphiniums, Tuli ps, Jonquids
Magnolias and many other more
delicate flowers.
But don't start with these. To
do so would be like trying to do
college work without elementary
and high school background. Start
in the first grade and come up by
drying straw flowers, amaranth,
marigol6s, 2 innias S, chrysanthe-
NUNS, lumaria, statice, heather,
and other tough, easy to handle
| flowers.