By October, we think of the garden in past tense. The imminent arrival of frosty weather leads us to believe that this year's blooming endeavors will soon be nothing more than memories. But everlasting (or dried) flowers can capture summer's warmth and radiance in each preserved bloom.

In Raphine, Virginia, a lofty barn nestled into the Shenandoah Valley's rolling hills harbors a vibrant tapestry of dried flowers, harvested throughout the summer from the surrounding gardens. Don Haynie and Tom Hamlin, business partners and owners of Buffalo Springs Herb Farm, practice the simple technique of air-drying flowers to create stunning wreaths, door swags, and baskets of blooms. "With everlastings, your garden is alive year-round. In the winter when the garden is asleep, you still have the flowers you've preserved," Don says.

			Pick or Purchase? Many florists and crafts shops sell bunches of dried flowers, so you can decorate your home even if you don't have the greenest of thumbs. Here we've listed some of Don's favorites--grouped in three categories to make arranging easy.

Visiting the Farm
Buffalo Springs Herb Farm: 7 Kennedy-Wade's Mill Loop, Raphine, VA 24472. For more information call (540) 348-1083, or visit www.buffaloherbs.com.

Hours: Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday-Saturday April-December and 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Sunday September-December.

Activities: Buffalo Springs Herb Farm offers luncheons, garden walks, workshops, and lectures.