TALKING FLOWERS Dried Flowers and How To Do Them Did you know that dried flowers are back in fashion? Perhaps, like me you thought that never went out of fashion, but do you dry your own on do you buy dried flower arrangements?   No prizes for guessing that those brightly coloured flowers are actually bleached in vats of bleach first, then because all the pigmentation (chlorophyll) has been removed it is practically falling apart.   The next step, the foliage is plasticised and dyed. Not something you want to display in your home   The process behind these dyed flowers is incredibly toxic and is usually down outside Australia. Dry Your Own. Some Australia flowers dry naturally in full colour such as golden everlasting, Australian paper daisy (Rhodanthe chlorocephela) , Billy Buttons (Pycnosorus globosus). Billy Buttons-dried by hanging upside down Dried Rhodanthe sp. Surprises Did you know that you could even dry your dahlia flowers? Choose the more tightly formed varieties with darker colours perform best.    Some hardier flowers and foliage can be left to dry in the vase such as banksias, eucalypt foliage, and kangaroo paw. HOW? Hang upside down in a dark area with plenty of air flow so no mould or mildew develops. I'm talking with florist and educator, Nadine Brown, florist educator and business mentor of the Ivy Institute Why not have a go and drying flowers from your garden? If you have any feedback email [email protected] or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675