Helichrysum: Growing, Drying, Using

A fellow blogger was interested in growing helichrysum and I thought a blog entry about it, 

would be useful.

I grow my plants from seed every year in compartmented seed trays.

When I put the plants in at the garden, I have to protect them from rabbits.

 Here are several trays of annuals ready to go in.

 

At the top left of this picture, 

you can see the plants in a row

covered in fleece.

As the plants continue to grow through the summer and well into the autumn, I pick them regularly and dry them in the summer house at home.

I usually pick before they are fully opened.

My friend gave me this covered basket for a present and it is ideal.

Statice, another flower I grow for drying, is hung in bunches.

This year I have made them up into smaller posies, held together with circles of tulle. 

These circles are often used for wedding favours.

 In the summer I used many of the flowers for decoration on our 40th wedding anniversary.

real flower headbands

 buttonholes

threaded on ribbons

At a wedding in May, using petals for confetti....you can see how light it was and drifted beautifully

They look lovely threaded on organza ribbons.

When completely dry, I store them in net bags in the summer house.

It is quite delightful to have these summer colours around well into the winter.

I call them my bags of sunshine.