Why Joanna Gaines' Whimsical Backyard Shed Idea Is Perfect For Flower Gardeners

Joanna Gaines, of the hit HGTV show 'Fixer Upper,' has a knack for balancing the practical and the whimsical. Her gorgeous backyard shed measures around 400 square feet and boasts a stunning farmhouse sink, stone fireplace, and dining table — but you don't need anything nearly that grand or impressive to be able to take inspiration from her space. Joanna also uses the shed to indulge in her hobby of drying and preserving gorgeous summer flowers, and regardless of whether or not you're fortunate enough to have a dedicated building for floral preservation, you too can make space to enjoy this ancient art.

While having an entire shed or room for drying flowers may be ideal, it's far from essential. Instead, all you really need are some fresh-cut flowers from a species that dries well, a rack or other structure for holding the flowers upside down to help them keep their shape, and a dry space with good air circulation where the flowers can be hung out of direct sunlight. Then you just need a bit of patience as flowers generally need to be hung for at least two weeks. 

Whether you dry flowers from your garden or use this method to preserve your wedding bouquet or other meaningful arrangement, there are a variety of flowers that dry well. You can certainly experiment with different flowers, as even those that aren't generally recommended for drying often yield interesting results, but generally the best flowers to hang to dry keep their color and shape throughout the process. This includes flower garden classics like globe amaranth, celosia, yarrow, statice, and lavender. Other flowers, like hydrangeas and roses, also keep their shapes when hung to dry, though their color may change somewhat. Flowers don't have to have all the fun though, as ornamental grasses are also excellent candidates for drying. 

While the ideal time to pick flowers for drying varies by species, most should be picked when they have reached the peak of their size and color, or just before. Make sure the flowers have around a foot or more of their stem left so they can easily be hung, and remove most, if not all, of the leaves. Then bunch together the stems and secure them with rubber bands or twine. 

There are a variety of different styles of racks you can use to dry your flowers, from the massive and elegant rack Joanna Gaines hangs from the ceiling to smaller racks that can secure to walls — or even just a string suspended between hooks or nails in a wall. Regardless of the exact style you use, what's important is that the flowers can hang from it upside down in a dry and warm spot and get plenty of airflow, while being out of reach of bright sunlight, curious children, and pets. If you don't have a dedicated shed for this, then attics, basements, garages, and even some closets can be good alternatives. A rack of drying flowers can also make a whimsical addition to the right dining room or living room.

Most flowers take around two to three weeks to dry, after which you can take them down and style your favorite dried flowers to create elegant and long lasting arrangements. If any of the stems are weak or brittle, you can carefully replace them with wire. Of course, you can also keep your flowers hanging upside down if you prefer that aesthetic. Regardless of what you opt to do with your dried flowers, most should last for several years, as long as you are gentle with them.