Hi Shine, Glad you are joining in our maniacal hobby...smile. If you've read thru the forum, you'll see we are all experimenting. For instance, most instructions say pick at peak of bloom, but sometimes I pick in bud stage and let open in vase of water indoors..thus enjoying fresh and then dried. Working with Lilies, Roses and Nandina blossoms this way now...will bury in silica gel while they are still fresh, but I've enjoyed them in fresh arrangement for 4 days now.

Let us know any particularly good (or bad) results of trials you make...we are all learning and that's what makes having this forum so great. jo