The garden is fading so fast these days. I have been busy gathering seeds from my flower and herb gardens to take with me to our new home. I feel a little sad when I think about leaving this garden behind but excited at the thought of starting new.

Queen Anne's Lace starting to go to seed

I am trying to be picky when it comes to what I take with me. If I could I would take the entire garden with me. Just pick it up and put it on the moving truck with the rest of the furniture!

Borage beginning to go to seed

I’ve always enjoyed gathering seeds this time of year. There is something almost magical about watching the flowers bloom and then set seed.

Bronze Fennel beginning to set seed

I love all the different sizes and textures each seed has.Take the hollyhock seed for instance.

Hollyhock setting seed

Once you separate an individual seed from the entire seed head you will see it is like a little rough disk. I imagine its rough edges enable it to stick to fur (or clothes!) ensuring the spreading of future generations. Isn’t it just amazing that one single seed can grow into such a tall and pretty flower?

Pink Hollyhock in bloom

Ariella has been out in the garden with me during many of my seed gathering sessions and I am so happy to see her delighting in this garden ritual of mine. Yesterday she was collecting marshmallow seeds from our herb garden and scattering them all about. (Which means the next tenants of this home will be finding marshmallow babies here, there, and everywhere come next spring.)

Clary Sage gone to seed

I always collect way more seed than I can possibly grow. I suppose I just can’t let them be—I have to collect them for future use and seed swapping. And if any readers are interested in swapping some seeds with me please do contact me. I love swapping seeds with fellow gardeners and thought it might be fun to try a seed swap with my readers. Come next spring I will have a brand new garden to fill up with little seedlings so a seed swap would be a lot of fun!

In attempts  to keep myself busy so as to not let worrisome thoughts of moving enter my mind I have been puttering around the garden taking note of what plants will come with us if we do indeed move.

A few days ago I went ahead and harvested all four of my lavender plants, all of which happen to be Lavandula intermedia ‘Grosso’. Truly a most ugly name for my favorite variety of lavender if you were to ask me.

Grosso has nice long stems for hanging up to dry or for making lavender wands. I also find its fragrance to be one of the best. But that is my opinion.

This particular lavender harvest has been 3 years in the making. Three years ago I planted little lavender cuttings and carried for them like the little babies they were. Then last year I willfully refrained from harvesting too much instead allowing the plant to grow big and healthy. This year I have been rewarded and the plants are bursting forth with beautiful blooms that the bumble bees are finding irresistible.

{I do feel so guilty when I harvest flowers that the bees just adore. I just can’t help but apologize to them.}

I was able to harvest 5 bundles of lavender off of my 4 plants. Not too bad really!

They are now hanging up in my kitchen drying and filling the house with their intoxicating scent.

I adore the lavender blooms as much as the bees I think!

What a summer it has been! Yesterday my husband and I put in an offer on a 5(!) bedroom home in Washington. I have never been so anxious in my life! We are waiting to hear back from the seller so I am nervously keeping myself busy this weekend.

:: I have been attempting to photograph this Swallowtail Butterfly for over a week now as it flitter flutters about the flowers in the garden. This is probably the best pose it has given me. I’m afraid she is rather camera shy. ::

I am not one to handle change very well and I am starting to realize just how settled I have gotten here in our little house in the Gorge. I am walking around saying to myself “oh, I’ll miss this” and “oh, I’ll really miss that” but most of all I will miss the beauty of this mystical area I have called home for close to 6 years now.

:: Breathtakingly beautiful isn’t it. I promised myself upon moving here that I would never take the beauty of this place for granted. ::

Of course, we have not yet gotten the house so perhaps I am jumping the gun a little (or maybe a lot) but I am still feeling a little nostalgic today. And why I sit here typing away on this blog instead of getting busy with some sort of packing is beyond me!