"Drying" flowers...

[saouc at uccmvsa.bitnet]

> From: xenon at CSOS.ORST.EDU (Fingers are for WEINERS!)
> Newsgroups: bionet.plants
> Subject: "Drying" flowers...
> Date: 31 May 1994 14:33:55 GMT
>    My GF recently bought 5 fuschia baskets from the nursery where she 
works,
> and we've been wondering: How do you "dry" fuschia blooms?  I use dry in 
quotes
> because I know that they don't dry too well, in fact, they're horrible for 
drying.  Does anybody know how?  I was thinking maybe dipping it in a 
watered-down
> laquer or glue...
> Help! 

It would have to be done using silica powder - as I understand it (I have 
not done this myself) you bury the flowers carfully in a box of silica 
powder, which gradually extracts all the moisture from the flower while 
holding it intact.  The flower colors remain pretty true, or even 
intensify (rather then fade as in regular drying).  Many delicate flowers 
may be dries in this fashion - look for a book on dried flower arranging or 
some such.  I think I saw this in my wife's copy of 'The Scented Room'.

       Sean A. O'Hara, 710 Jean St., Oakland, Ca. 94610-1459
            saouc at uccmvsa.bitnet or sean.ohara at ucop.edu