They seem hopelessly out of fashion now – quaint, dusty, very ’70ish – but I am coming to appreciate dried flowers for a number of reasons. One reason is the beauty in the subtle colors. Somehow the bright colors of summer seems inappropriate and garish as the sun pales. I enjoy the subtle colors – purples, golds, browns and silver and the earthy, smell of the dried leaves. Perhaps now that I dry my own flowers, herbs and foliage, I feel more of a connection with each season’s offering and seek to honor the cycles as they are. The standard hot house / supermarket flowers hold less and less charm especially when one understands the negative environmental and human impact of the global floriculture industry. (Here is one of many articles on the issues http://mag.audubon.org/articles/living/rose-not-rose).

So here are my offerings to the season…they will grace my house till spring.

