Freeze-drying flowers is a great way to preserve them, but it isn't for home gardeners. Floral expert Deb Thompson freeze-dries flowers for all occasions-- weddings, proms, even funerals. Her freeze-drying unit will hold and process 35 to 40 roses at a time. Drying takes four to seven days. Comparable freeze-drying machines cost between $6,000 and $11,000, depending on the size. Larger commercial machines are available that will accept an entire bouquet. Drying a load of flowers takes 12 to 14 days in a larger machine. Larger models work the same as smaller machines, removing air from the chamber and crystallizing the moisture as it is removed from the flowers. Colors change a little when flowers are freeze-dried: greens lighten up to a dark yellow, and white sometimes changes to ivory. Yellows, blues and reds, however, keep their original hue. Freeze-dried blooms should be displayed in a glass hutch or bubble case to prevent them from becoming dusty. Shadow-box picture frames also work well to display freeze-dried blooms or bouquets. Small display domes with nosegays retail from $45 to $75; larger bouquets may cost several hundred dollars to preserve. If you want to preserve your own special-occasion bouquet, don't place it in your freezer--take it to a local freeze-drying specialist as soon as possible. The fresher the flowers, the more striking the results.
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