Winterthur Christmas: 22 Dried Flower Ideas From the du Pont Estate That Look Like Heirlooms

Winterthur Christmas has a quiet tradition that feels like a family keepsake: a tree dressed entirely in flowers grown and dried on the estate. Winterthur, the former country home of Henry Francis du Pont in Delaware, has trimmed this dried flower tree every Yuletide since 1985. The floral team spends about 70 hours on it, using daffodils, dogwood, hydrangeas, peonies and zinnias that were air dried in a cool, dark room on the estate, with the most delicate blooms saved in silica gel. You can borrow the same idea at home with garden stems, thrifted vessels and a little patience. These 22 ideas start with the tree and then carry the look to wreaths, tables, gifts and mantels. Read the story of the Winterthur floral tradition before you begin..

The Winterthur Christmas Tree That Started It All

This is the Winterthur Christmas idea in one picture: a full evergreen covered from top to bottom in pale dried blooms instead of shiny ornaments. Hydrangea heads fill the big gaps, roses and daffodils add soft color, and a ring of red poinsettias grounds the base. Start with an artificial tree if you can, since dried flowers stay crisp longer away from damp needles. For more grand estate inspiration, see these Biltmore Christmas ideas..

You will need: An artificial tree, about 40 dried hydrangea heads, 60 dried roses and smaller blooms, green floral wire, wire snips, potted poinsettias.

How to make it: Fluff the branches and work from the trunk outward. Wire hydrangeas into the largest gaps first, then fill with roses and smaller flowers. Finish with poinsettias around the base.

Wire Dried Daffodils and Dogwood Right Onto the Branches

Up close, the Winterthur Christmas look is surprisingly simple. Each dried bloom sits right on the needles, held with a short twist of green wire, so the flowers look like they grew there. Pale yellow daffodils and creamy dogwood keep the palette light, while one dusty pink peony gives the eye a place to rest. Group three or four blooms together rather than spacing them evenly, since clusters read as generous from across the room. Pair them with this grandma style Christmas tree roundup for a softer vintage feel.

You will need: Dried daffodils, dried dogwood or other pale blooms, a few dried peonies, green floral wire, wire snips.

How to make it: Cut 4 inch pieces of wire. Wrap each stem once and twist the wire around a branch. Build small clusters of three to five blooms.

Hang Garden Flowers Upside Down to Air Dry

Most of the flowers on the estate tree are air dried, and you can do the same in a closet, attic or spare room. Gather stems in small bunches, strip the lower leaves and hang them head down in a dark, dry place with good airflow. Most flowers are ready in two to three weeks, when the petals feel papery. Plan next year’s cutting list with these Lady Bird Johnson wildflower ideas.

You will need: Fresh garden flowers, rubber bands, jute cord, wooden hangers or a rod, a dark dry room.

How to make it: Strip the leaves and band 6 to 8 stems together. Hang the bundles head down from a rod. Wait until the petals feel crisp before using them.

Winterthur Christmas Starts With Papery Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are the workhorse of a dried flower tree. One big head fills a gap that would take a dozen ornaments, and the faded cream and green tones look lovely against dark needles. The trick is timing. Leave the heads on the shrub until late summer, when the petals start to feel slightly leathery, then cut them and stand them in a little water that you let evaporate. Use extra heads in these Christmas flower arrangements around the house.

You will need: Late season hydrangea heads, pruners, a jar with 2 inches of water.

How to make it: Cut stems about 12 inches long. Stand them in shallow water in a cool room. Let the water dry up over two weeks and keep the heads upright.

Save Delicate Roses and Zinnias in Silica Gel

Some flowers are too delicate to hang. The estate team saves those for silica gel, and it works beautifully at home too. The fine crystals pull moisture out quickly while holding each petal in place, so roses and zinnias keep their bright color. Pour a layer into a wide jar, set the blooms face up and gently spoon more crystals between the petals until they are covered. For a flat companion project, try these pressed flower crafts.

You will need: Silica gel crystals, a wide jar with a lid, a small scoop, fresh roses or zinnias with short stems.

How to make it: Add 1 inch of crystals. Set the flowers face up and cover them gently. Close the lid, wait 3 to 7 days, then pour off the crystals slowly.

Turn Faded Roses Into an Heirloom Style Wreath

Dried roses take on deep, antique colors that suit the season. Packed tightly onto a ring with seed heads, berries and small pods, they make a wreath that looks like it belongs in a Winterthur Christmas display. Hang it indoors, away from rain and direct sun, and it should last for several holidays. For more ring ideas, browse these ornament wreath ideas.

You will need: A straw or vine wreath base, 40 to 50 dried roses, dried berries and seed pods, a hot glue gun, floral pins.

How to make it: Cover the base in rose heads first, working around in one direction. Fill the gaps with pods and berries. Add a cord hanger to the back.

Ring a Clear Ornament With Pink Hydrangea Blossoms

This low centerpiece takes only a few hydrangea heads. The blooms are broken into small clusters and tucked around a ring, with one clear ornament sitting in the middle like a jewel. Pink hydrangeas often dry to a soft rose and lavender mix, which feels romantic on a holiday table. Swap the center piece each week with these Christmas vase filler ideas.

You will need: 3 or 4 dried hydrangea heads, a 10 inch foam or vine ring, one large clear ornament, floral pins.

How to make it: Snip the hydrangeas into small clusters. Pin them around the ring until no base shows. Set the ornament in the center.

Circle the Winterthur Christmas Tree With Red Poinsettias

Pale dried flowers can look washed out on their own, so a band of red at the base makes a big difference. Live poinsettias are a natural partner for a flower tree, and their bright leaves frame the soft colors above. Buy plants with tight yellow centers, which means they will last longer. Find more ways to use them in this poinsettia Christmas decor guide.

You will need: 6 to 10 potted poinsettias, matching pot covers or baskets, saucers.

How to make it: Group the pots in a tight ring around the tree stand. Raise a few on upturned pots for height. Water from below to protect the floor.

Fill an Old White Pitcher With Faded Roses

Not every dried flower needs a project. A simple white pitcher packed with faded roses brings Winterthur Christmas charm to a side table or kitchen hutch, and a few loose petals add to the gently aged look. Mix fully open roses with tighter buds so the bunch has shape. Pull out more old dishes with these vintage china Christmas decor ideas.

You will need: A white pitcher, 12 to 20 dried roses, a handful of loose petals.

How to make it: Trim the stems so the heads sit just above the rim. Add open roses first, then buds. Scatter petals around the base.

Let Blue Statice Bring Color That Lasts

Statice is one of the easiest flowers to dry because its papery color barely changes. A few sprigs of deep blue or purple add a cool note to cream and pink arrangements, like a winter sky. It dries in about two weeks hanging upside down, and it is cheap at most grocery flower counters. The soft storybook palette in these Tasha Tudor Christmas ideas pairs well with it.

You will need: Fresh statice bunches, rubber bands, a dark dry spot.

How to make it: Hang the bunches head down for 10 to 14 days. Snip them into small sprigs. Tuck the sprigs into gaps on a tree or wreath.

Tie Lavender Bundles to Stair Rails and Doorknobs

Lavender bundles are small, fragrant and easy to make by the dozen. Tie them with velvet ribbon along a stair rail, on cabinet knobs or on the backs of dining chairs, and every room picks up a soft scent. Buy lavender in bulk or cut it from the garden just as the buds open, then dry it hanging. This cozy cottage decor guide has more ways to use it.

You will need: Dried lavender, thin rubber bands, velvet ribbon, scissors.

How to make it: Gather 20 to 25 stems and band them tightly. Trim the ends even. Tie each bundle in place with a ribbon bow.

Winterthur Christmas Garland for a Plain White Mantel

A mantel garland spreads the flower tree look across a room. Hydrangeas, roses, statice and lavender are wired onto a base of pine and eucalyptus, then left to trail down one side. A small potted tree with strawflowers on a nearby table repeats the idea in miniature. Keep the firebox empty and unused while dried flowers hang above it, since they catch easily. Find more layouts in these Christmas mantel ideas.

You will need: A 6 foot faux pine garland, dried hydrangeas, roses, statice and lavender, eucalyptus, floral wire, removable adhesive hooks.

How to make it: Hang the base garland first. Wire the larger flowers at even spacing, then fill with small ones. Let one end trail down the side.

Slip a Single Dried Stem Into Each Napkin Ring

Small touches carry the theme to the dinner table. One dried stem slipped into each napkin ring gives every guest a tiny bouquet to take home. Pale purple or white blooms look best against white linen, and slim stems fit easily without breaking. More options are in these DIY napkin rings.

You will need: Cloth napkins, napkin rings, one dried flower stem per guest.

How to make it: Roll or fold each napkin. Slide on the ring. Tuck a stem under the ring at an angle.

Top Kraft Paper Gifts With Small Sprigs

Plain kraft paper looks rich when each gift wears a little natural topper. Here, short sprigs of evergreen and berries are tied on with jute cord, but dried rosebuds, statice or a hydrangea floret work just as well. Mix the two for a gift pile that matches your Winterthur Christmas tree. Keep the toppers small so they survive the trip under the branches. This Christmas gift packaging roundup has more wrap ideas.

You will need: Kraft paper, tape, jute cord, small sprigs of greenery, dried flowers or berries.

How to make it: Wrap each gift and tie the cord in a cross. Slide a sprig under the knot. Add a dried bloom on top.

Add Silver Dollar Lunaria for a Soft Shimmer

Lunaria, also called money plant or silver dollar, dries into thin round discs that catch the light like tiny mirrors. A few branches in a tall vase add shimmer without any ornaments at all. Peel the outer husks gently to reveal the silver centers. See more vessel ideas in these DIY vase ideas.

You will need: Dried lunaria stems, a tall vase, sand or pebbles for weight.

How to make it: Rub off the outer husks between your fingers. Weigh the vase with sand. Arrange the stems at different heights.

Winterthur Christmas Roses Brushed With Gold

A little metallic paint turns dried roses into something special. Brush or spray a few heads gold and nestle them among gold ornaments, pine cones and leaves on a tray or plate. The gilded flowers echo an elegant estate look without spending much. Find more shine in these vintage Christmas ornaments.

You will need: Dried roses, gold craft paint or spray, a small brush, gold ornaments, pine cones, a tray.

How to make it: Paint the roses outdoors on newspaper. Let them dry overnight. Arrange them on the tray with ornaments and cones.

Mix Leftover Petals Into Holiday Potpourri

Every Winterthur Christmas project leaves petals behind. Save them in jars and mix them into a simple potpourri with lavender buds, rosebuds and a few drops of essential oil. Pour it into bowls on side tables or fill small jars as gifts, since the colors look lovely through clear sides. These grandmillennial Christmas decor ideas suit the same old fashioned charm.

You will need: Dried petals and buds, lavender, essential oil, clear jars with lids.

How to make it: Mix the petals in a bowl. Add 5 to 10 drops of oil and toss. Seal in jars for a week before using.

Put Deep Red Dried Roses in a Red Vase

Red roses dry to a deep wine color that feels right for the holidays. Four heads in a bright red vase make a quick arrangement for a windowsill or desk, and the matching colors make it look planned. Hang roses to dry just after they open fully for the darkest shade. These shabby chic Christmas ideas have more soft red and white looks.

You will need: 4 to 6 dried red roses, a small red vase, pruners.

How to make it: Trim the stems to about one and a half times the vase height. Set the tallest rose in the middle. Lean the others outward.

Wrap a Twig Wreath With Dried Wood Flowers

A dark twig ring makes cream flowers stand out. Here, pale wood flowers and seed pods are spaced around a rough alder wreath, leaving plenty of bare branches showing. Sola wood flowers are sold in bulk and come ready to use, so you can skip drying altogether. Hang it on a door or lay it flat as a centerpiece. These Christmas door swags are another way to dress the entry.

You will need: A twig or vine wreath, 10 to 15 cream wood flowers, dried pods, hot glue.

How to make it: Lay out the flowers in uneven groups. Glue them on, leaving bare twigs between. Add pods to fill small gaps.

Leave a Few Hydrangeas on the Shrub for Winter

Not every bloom has to come inside. Faded hydrangea heads left on the shrub turn papery and coppery and look beautiful with a dusting of frost. When you need a few more heads for the tree in December, cut them on a dry day and bring them indoors to finish drying. That loop from garden to tree is at the heart of the Winterthur Christmas idea. Early American gardens did much the same, as these Colonial Williamsburg Christmas ideas show.

You will need: A hydrangea shrub, pruners, a basket.

How to make it: Leave the heads on through fall. Cut on a dry day. Shake off moisture and finish drying indoors for a week.

Winterthur Christmas Still Life With Hydrangeas and Tea

A small still life with hydrangeas, a pitcher and a teacup feels like a corner of an old estate parlor. Lace under the pitcher and a single cup add lived in charm. Dried hydrangeas and baby’s breath let it last the entire season. Set it on a side table where the light is soft and indirect. These Currier and Ives Christmas ideas share the same old fashioned mood.

You will need: A white pitcher, dried hydrangeas, dried baby’s breath, a lace doily, a teacup.

How to make it: Place the doily and pitcher. Add the hydrangeas first, then the baby’s breath. Set the cup beside it.

Give Your Flower Tree a Spot in Bright Window Light

Where you place the tree matters. Soft daylight brings out the colors of a Winterthur Christmas tree, so a spot near tall windows is ideal, as long as strong afternoon sun does not hit it all day. Antique chairs, a patterned rug and red poinsettias make the flower tree feel like part of a historic home. Get more stately style ideas from this Jackie Kennedy Christmas collection.

You will need: Your finished flower tree, poinsettias, a hair dryer with a cool setting, storage boxes.

How to make it: Choose a spot near windows but out of all day sun. Add poinsettias at the base. Store the flowers in boxes after the season.