I hate fake flowers and would like to wear a large gardenia -- a la Billie Holliday -- in my hair for my wedding in May.

Of course, gardenias are notoriously prone to browning and bruising, so if possible, I'd like to preserve it first -- has anyone tried wax-dipping a gardenia or preserving it in some other way? Will the gardenia lose its scent once it's preserved?

Any advice appreciated,

Heather

I also have a book, New Inspirations in Wedding Florals, by Terry Rye, that recommends dipping the gardenias in a solution of 6 parts water to one part white glue. Again, I've never tried this, so I don't know if it works or not.

Neither source mentions the effect, if any, on the scent.
Maybe you could get some 'test' blooms before the wedding to try these methods. Good luck.