For all you brides or hopeless romantics, begin saving rose petals from your bridal bouquet and from any other bouquets your beloved gives you through the years. When your dear daughters marry, their flower girls can toss those rose petals passing on a legacy of love.
To dry, break or cut the rose bud or flower from the stem and lay on a paper plate in a single layer. Turn the flowers over several times over a few weeks so all surfaces are exposed to the air. Once completely dry place in a zip lock bag (failure to dry completely will result in moldy flowers). Store carefully so as not to crush.
By Diana from Prospect, KY
I have an oven that uses a pilot light so it is warm in the oven all the time. To dry my rose petals I spread them on cookie sheets and leave them in the oven for about 24 hours. The petals will come out darker than the original rose. For instance, Mister Lincoln red roses dry to a very dark burgundy and Julia Child yellow roses dry to a very intense, bright yellow. I have heard that you can set your oven for 100 degrees and get the same result, but never tried it.
