I didn’t have a chance to do it this morning so I came home at lunch and put some more blossoms in silica gel to dry. I had some Rosa alba semi-plena that has been in the drying containers since Friday. They looked pretty good when I took them out. Into the drying trays went two Souvenir dela Malmaison, a Rosa Mundi, and either Tuscany or Tuscany Superb. I planted them in the same bed and, being gallicas, they expanded by runners just below the surface of the soil. At this point, I can’t really tell if it is the period rose (Tuscany) or its modern hybrid rose (Tuscany Superb). Oh well.
I also went by the Container Store after work and picked up about 9 clear plastic containers to put the dried rose bloom specimens in, as well as a larger container with an air-tight seal which to carry the display containers. When I got home, I found two packages for me…. One was another 5 pounds of Silica Gell; the second being an Amazon package with 10gm pillows of silica gel, amoung other things. I will use those to make sure the dried specimens stay dry. I figure I will glue a desiccant pillow on the inside lid or a bottom edge of the display containers.
Enough for now!