You never know what you might “need” when you are shopping. About three weeks ago I purchased a couple of bunches of asters which most certainly were not on my list. At £1.30 a bunch who could resist. 
Much to everyone’s surprise they were not put in a vase, instead they were hung upside down in the kitchen to dry. After a few days the grumbles started and by the end of week two, outright hostilities: what’s happening with these, they’re ugly!
Well yesterday I snipped the heads off and threw out the stalks. 
I have quite a bundle which I have used to put in some of my glass tea light holders. Mixed with poppy heads and nigella they make an interesting gathering.
Cathy (the host of IAVOM) you saw these hanging around in my kitchen, what do you think?
digwithdorris.com 
Clever!
Oh – I thought they were helichrysum! I love the muted colours, Dorris, so BLAH to the naysayers 😁 ! I have no idea how long they will maintain any shape or colour as I have never succeeded with asters. Meanwhile, my picked helichrysum is still going to seed and the stems of my gomphrena are mangled. Hey ho – it’s a learning curve 😀
You are right of course they are helichrysum!
I have always wrongly called them aster and yet they not. As to yours going to seed I wonder if they should have been picked earlier?
I think that is probably the case, Dorris – I suppose I ought to google and check out the best time to pick. Being so papery to begin with it is hard to tell
I thought they were Helichrysum too. I like them as fillers for a dish. I’m rather bored with my dried flowers from last year and haven’t grown any this year.
Would you like me to send you some for a small bowl?
That’s very kind but as I said I am rather bored looking at the ones I dried and arranged last year. But I will bear your very kind offer in mind when I see something in your garden that I can’t get seed for. Thank you.
Me three! Helichrysum were a major cut flower crop in Montara when I was a kid.