LADYBUG SAYS...WHILE GARDEN FLOWERS ARE AT PEAK, IT'S GOOD TO DRY THEM FOR WINTER USE

Dried flowers may seem dull compared to the brilliant colors that flowers develop outdoors during cooler weather. However, this summer many flowers have dried that were not intended to be for preserving. During the snowy days of winter, it is hoped that winter bouquets will not be a reminder of this gruesome summer, but of more pleasant times from nature.

While garden flowers are at their peak, it is good to dry them for winter use. Several methods are normally used to preserve flowers, but the one chosen may be a matter of time and cost.

Always select the most perfect of the blooms. Inferior fresh flowers only develop into inferior dried flowers. Flowers known as "everlasting" are easiest to dry. They can simply be hung upside down in a dry, dark place. Such flowers include statice, money plant, celosia, achillea, globe amaranth and straw flowers. Baby's breath is also easily dried, and so is scarlet sage.

Everlastings are the easiest to dry. They can be hung upside down in a dry, dark place where they can get air. Years ago, attics would be magically transformed into a whimsical garden where flowers danced upside down among the rafters.

While attics are the ideal spot, there are few homes today that are equipped with such a room. Find a cool, dry, airy and somewhat secluded spot out of the traffic of passing heads. Although total darkness is not a requirement, avoid the sun so the plants' colors do not fade.

Straw Flowers, ideal for drying, should be cut before the pollen shows. Remove the foliage, bunch loosely and hang heads downward in a cool, airy place. Since there are few other plants grown for drying, this annual is the favorite of most who specialize in this hobby.

Although many flowers scan be preserved by drying, do not limit your selections to flowers along, because herbs, berries, pods, cones, fruits and some foliage may also be included for winter bouquets.

The best time for collecting is a warm, sunny morning when plants are naturally dry and the buds and leaves are their prettiest and most fragrant. Pick flowers while still in bud or just after they open when they are closest to being perfect, as they will open further in the drying process.

Herbs also dry well. Since their leaves have a high water content, they should be dried rapidly. Such herbs as basil, tarragon and the mints, can be dried as the flowers.

Herbs of this type will loose their green color if subjected to sunlight, or will mold if allowed to dry too slowly.

Less succulent herbs, such as sage, rosemary or thyme, may be partially dried in the sun and then removed to a dry area to finish the process. As soon as they are thoroughly dried, they should be placed in a tightly, closed glass or metal container. Freezing is another method of preserving herbs.

One of the simplest drying methods is pressing. A dear friend uses the small flowers and their foliage from my garden and places them between the pages of a large book and weights them down. The finished flowers, and sometimes their leaves, come out beautifully. She uses them in pictures, for personal note cards and to decorate packages. Most attractive are the colorful pansies. Her dried flowers are truly a work of art, and the finished products she constructs are an artist's masterpiece.

Flowers that are fragile need to be buried in a supportive material to hold them in shape while the petals dry. Several materials are on the market for this purpose. Flowers such as larkspur, carnations, marigolds, zinnias, asters, roses, dahlias and snapdragons, can be dried in several mediums, including perlite, borax, cornmeal, sand and silica gel, or a combination. Another friend has beautifully dried Queen Anne's lace and then decorated it with silver glitter to be used for a future project.

Combinations of borax with either clean sand or cornmeal may be used in equal parts. The main qualities required by any of these materials is that they hold the petals in position and absorb the water vapor lost by the various plants.

Flowers and herbs can also be quickly dried in the microwave oven. Almost all microwave cookbooks will give complete instructions for the process.

One of the most frequently asked question pertains to the preserving the beauty of foliage. A mixture of one part glycerin to two parts of hot water can be used to preserve many types of foliage. Leaves that darken and turn bronze, but remain soft and flexible,a re oak, maple, beech, magnolia, canna and dogwood.

Do not let the garden fade away this fall. Hang some of it up, press it, microwave, freeze, make potpourri, pomander, sachet or an herb pillow or pot holder, but do retain some sweet essence of summer for the long gray days of winter ahead.