A few weeks ago I shared a post about harvesting and drying my Annabelle hydrangeas, but it was still a little early then to cut the paniculatas. I wanted to wait for them to color up a bit more.
One of the many things I love about this species of hydrangea is that they change color as the season progresses from late summer to early fall. The Vanilla Strawberry get deeper and deeper pink, and the Little Lime gets a pretty coppery pink mixed with a deeper green color.
The Limelights go from lime green to creamy white to a blush pink.
They were all at a point where I loved the coloring, so I decided to cut a bunch and dry them in preparation for winter arrangements in my window boxes.
I’ll put both of those crates in a dark corner of the carriage house and let them dry until I’m ready to fill my window boxes for the winter.
Even after cutting all of those, I hadn’t really even made a dent in the quantity of flowers on my bushes so I decided to also makes some wreaths with them. I’ve always wanted to try this, but never had the time when I was a 9 to 5’er.
All I needed was a few wire wreath forms …
and some floral wire.
To prepare the hydrangeas, I first removed all of the leaves (the leaves don’t look quite so pretty when dried).
Then I trimmed up the stems fairly short, leaving just enough to wire onto the frame, but not so much that the stems will stick out.
By the way, that one is a Little Lime. Aren’t the colors just gorgeous?! I love that combo of pink and green. I think it takes me back to all of those preppy Izod shirts I wore back in the early 80’s.
Next it’s simply a matter of wiring the blooms onto the frames.
I hung this round wreath on the potting shed door.
Once I had that one finished I remembered that I had an old dried up square boxwood wreath tucked away in the carriage house lean-to.
I actually rather liked the look of the dried out boxwood for fall. But I went ahead and removed all of that to get at the square wreath frame.
I decided to try the Limelights on this one.
I have to say, it was a bit more challenging to get the flowers into a square shape.
I ended up trimming off some bulgy bits here and there to get more of a square.
Ultimately I think it worked out.
Although whether or not it still looks square is up for debate.
I plan to let these dry right in place and I’m not entirely sure how well that will work out. I’ll give you an update in a couple of weeks and let you know.
In the meantime, what do you think? Have you made your own dried hydrangea wreaths? Or do you have other plants in your gardens that make a great wreath? Leave a comment and let us know!
q is for quandie 
Those are amazing!!! Beautiful job! Can’t wait to see how they dry in place.
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Thanks Vicki!
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I always dry mine upside down to maintain the color — looks like with yours, you didn’t have to! Might try adding a bush or two of the green ones.
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I wrote about the upside down thing in my post on drying the Annabelles (here). The purpose of drying flowers upside down is to help them retain their shape. Think of roses that kind of get saggy if you dry them upright. Hydrangeas hold their shape really well as they dry, so no need to hang them upside down. Drying them out of direct sunlight will help them keep their color, also, from what I’ve read, drying them in a vase with just a little water at the bottom will help them retain their color too. I didn’t really find that to be the case with my Annabelle experiment though. Check out that post and you’ll see my ‘green’ ones 😉
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Oh my goodness! Those are fabulous! If I had more than five blooms I might try to make a wreath. Your green thumb is top notch! Thanks for sharing!
Smiles, alice
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Do you have a macrophylla variety? I can’t get those to bloom for the life of me either!
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Why yes I do! I didn’t know I did! I’m not very well versed in hydrangea species. I just buy what is in Lowes.
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Those macrophylla varieties just don’t bloom as reliably as the paniculata varieties!
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So love this! You’ve inspired me! I love the signs all around your house and sheds! ( also loving your lack of 9-5 for my own selfish inspirations😂😂)
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LOL, thanks Sheri!
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Beautiful! Can’t wait for the updates.
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Thanks Laura!
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I also dry my hydrangeas I really do not have anything else that drys as nice as they do. I have a basket made of chicken wire that I put upside down in a old Wood Pepsi crate. Holds them up nicely and looks cool with the rusty metal edges on the box. I wish I had more!
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Nice! Sounds like a great dry them 🙂
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Years ago (maybe 20?) I did a hydrangea wreath and would take it out every Fall – that dang thing lasted for YEARS! I ended up giving it to my niece because I couldn’t bear to throw it away. Haven’t made one since, but I should again….when I’m done with MY 9 to 5’er!
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LOL, yep, sounds like a plan 😉
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Well done Miss Quandie! You have no lack of dopamine! Lol…….
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I think you might be right about that 😉
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They look really nice. Not so sure that one is still a square though.
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LOL, just barely!
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I used to make them by hot gluing the flowers to grapevine wreaths I made when I pruned our grapes. Worked well but it’s been years.
Love hydrangeas!
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I have a love hate relationship with hot glue. I inevitably burn a finger or two with that stuff. But it does sound like that might be quicker than all of the wiring!
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I am making note of that Annabelle Vanilla Strawberry. Gorgeous!
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Just to be clear, none of these hydrangeas are Annabelles. The Annabelle is a hydrangea arborescens, or smooth hydrangea. The Vanilla Strawberry is a paniculata, or panicle hydrangea. Just want to make sure you get your note right 🙂 And P.S. it is gorgeous!
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I have Limelight’s that I dry every fall. I put them in containers in my booth I have in an antique mall. They add a lot to the over all look and the buyers get a little extra bonus when they buy from me. I may need to try a wreath or two.
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