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Drying the late summer leaves and flowers for winter use was a skill used by rural women all over America. Before refrigerated florists, getting any flowers in winter was impossible. The way they got around it was to dry all they could in late summer. Knowing what to pick and what colors share greatest longevity were time-learned skills passed down from mother to daughter. Your herbs, both perennial and annual, have lots of growth, so there are opportunities to add fragrance and flavoring to your flower drying efforts as well.

Flowers that bloom in the late summer with thick flower petals are among the best choices for drying. Thin gossamer petals shrivel too much and don't hold their color. Marigolds, zinnias, asters, chrysanthemum and goldenrod are the traditional choices. However, annuals and perennials promptly deadheaded in early summer may bloom modestly a second time in the fall. These blooms are ideal for drying due to their smaller size.

Another factor that influences what you dry is flower color. Drying causes some to fade or darken unexpectedly. For example, red and magenta tend to turn brownish when dried. Better choices are white, light blue, pink, gold and orange. The first time around, dry every color you want to, then determine which ones work best for your taste.

One of the most common ways folks fail with their flower drying is bugs. What typically happens is small caterpillars show up on the drying plants and proceed to consume them rapidly. By the time they are discovered, the damage is done. This is because the leaves, stems and flowers you cut from the garden will likely contain eggs of a variety of insects. Many are too small to see, but you'll be shocked at the results after they hatch.