While it is tempting to cut the hydrangea blossoms for drying at the height of their colour, this seldom, if ever, works. Fresh, recently opened blooms, rarely dry well in the open air. Hydrangeas do best when allowed to dry a bit on the plant before picking. Experiment with havesting from August through October.

TIPS FOR DRYING NATURALLY:

• Leave blooms on the shrub until late Summer. Toward the end of the Summer the petals will begin to age and take on a vintage look. If left on the shrub a while longer, many blooms will pick up interesting shades of burgundy and pink. This timing may vary depending on where in the British Isles your garden is, a rule of thumb is that cooler areas will usually take a little longer.
• One can cut the blooms, strip off the leaves, arrange them in a vase, with or without water, and leave them to dry. It is not necessary to hang hydrangeas up side down to dry unless the stems are very thin and weak.
• To retain extremely natural hydrangea colour, use Silica Gel to dry fresh blooms.