Dried Flower Gardening - Tapa dura

There is a tremendous satisfaction to be gained from first growing and then drying flowers from your own garden. "Dried Flower Gardening" is packed with information on how to do just that, from planting through to drying, storing and arranging the finished result. The first section of the book describes the basics of growing plants for drying, including such considerations as the best plants for beginners to experiment with and how to make the best use of a confined space. Then, once your crop is grown, there is expert advice on preserving plant material, including air-drying, glycerining and using silica gel crystals. At this stage, an A-Z compendium of the 100 plants suitable for drying is given, with clear instructions on preserving and recommendations for their use. Appendices on plant selection for colour or their value as seed-heads or for colour or their value as seed-heads or foliage are also given. The book concludes with a section on how to create dried flower arrangements for the home and special occasions such as weddings. Various ideas on how to use up left-overs are also given - for instance potpourri and natural confetti. Colour photographs lead the reader through every page of this craft. "Dried Flower Gardening" is the reference book for anyone wishing to grow, dry and arrange their own flowers.