From the Ground Up: Get ready to enjoy summer flowers this winter

As the gardening season changes, many of us mentally move from the tulip to iris to lily to mums. But now is the time to harvest beautiful summer blooms to be preserved and enjoyed through the winter season.

Cattails are a classic and should be cut in July and August for preservation. Cattails must be solid, not soft and starting to pop its seeds. Once cut, roll the cattail in a disposable aluminum pan filled with about an inch of inexpensive varnish, then hang to dry, which should last several years.

Alliums are finishing their show in our yards and are gorgeous in fall and winter bouquets. Pick them from the bottom and hang them upside down to dry for a perfectly round ball of seeds to include in a dried bouquet. Or spray the dried alliums' ball with silver or gold spray paint to add to a Christmas arrangement of evergreen.

Seed pods of poppies make interesting additions to flower arrangements and fall wreaths. For creating a fall wreath, tie dried pods into groups of 5-7 pods. These can also be painted to add color of your choice.

Hydrangeas are classic dried flowers. After enjoying the flower fresh cut remove them from the water and simply let them dry. Add to any bouquet or wreath.

Blackberry lilies are called by that name because the seeds formed after the flower fades look exactly like blackberries. Just cut the blackberry stalk with seeds and include in your arrangements.

The very popular money plant is a very curious plant which produces seeds encapsulated in coin like translucent seed pods. You have probably seen these in purchased arrangements not realizing that these can be grown in your home garden. Try them. They are really fun and easy.

Another fall garden favorite is Celosia, also called cockscomb. This vibrant pink or red flower is outstanding as a cut flower and dries easily. When Celosia, enclose it in a paper bag and hang upside down to catch the seeds as it dries. The color does fade when dried so a touch up with spray paint, the color of your choice, may be in order.

The common, along the roadside, Queen Ann's Lace is also a fun flower to dry. Place in a vase containing an inch of water with several drops of food coloring. The flower will color and be ready to be hung upside down dried and used for winter arrangements. This is a fun experiment to do with children.

There are lots of methods to preserve flowers for winter enjoyment. These are only a few, so give them a try.

For all your gardening questions, call the Linn County Master Gardeners at 477-0647.