How to Keep the Color in Dried Boxwood
- 1). Harvest the boxwood in midsummer or early autumn when the plant is mature but not excessively so. Plants that are too young or old do not absorb the glycerine mixture properly.
- 2). Smash the cut ends of the branches with the hammer. This aids in the absorption process and speeds up total preservation time.
- 3). Prepare a solution of one part liquid glycerine to two parts hot water. Mix thoroughly in the bucket. You can add green food coloring if desired to help keep the boxwood leaves green as they absorb the glycerine.
- 4). Submerge the smashed ends of the boxwood in the glycerine solution.
- 5). Replace glycerine solution as necessary to keep the level the same. Leave plants in the solution for up to two weeks, depending on their size and absorption rate.
Source...