Harvest flowers for drying

Harvest some flowers now, at the peak of their flowering, to dry and use in arrangements for the rest of the year. Papery, everlasting flowers like helichrysum, statice and acrolinium dry best with leaves removed then tied in a small bunch and hung upside down somewhere airy and out of direct sun.

Hanging upside down ensures that the stems dry straight to support the flower heads. Be creative and try cornflowers, echinops, ornamental grasses, sea holly and even hydrangeas – these will all dry well in a bunch. Lavender flowers keep their scent when picked fresh. For a more ambitious project, cover the heads of flowers like lilac or roses with silica or even sand for a few days to dry them and preserve the colour perfectly.