I have discovered that dried flowers are everlasting flowers. In the late 19th century, les immortelles, flowers grown specifically for drying, were used to create bouquets d'hiver, arrangements for the winter.

Air drying is the simplest way to preserve flowers. Roses, lavender, and hydrangeas air-dry exceptionally well. Just hang them upside down. Flowers can be dried flat on racks, upright-dried, garden dried, or oven-dried. Experts say the best time to harvest flowers for drying is when they are one-half to three-quarters of the way open.

"Ah, the smell of flowers. I've just put flowers in a vase," praised writer Helen Caldicott. "The meaning of life is the flowers in the vase."

Gathering and pressing blossoms are part of a long tradition, a romantic and magical way to save a memory and create immortality. The thinner a flower or plant, the easier it is to press... Oak and maple leaves, poppies, and pansies are excellent. Pressed flowers create beautiful cards, pictures, and decorative frames or candles.

In a passionate celebration of flowers, British writer Iris Murdoch said, "People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us."

Keepsakes honor sweetness and create immortality.