Out of the way bees ... that lavender is mine!

Two and a half years after planting, my three lavender plants in the garden have produced a bounty of wonderfully scented flowers this summer. I’ve been keeping a close eye on them for the past few weeks, waiting for the right moment to harvest them before the weather turns cool and windy. We’ve had a hot August with very little rain, and I noticed that the lavender flowers had already dried quite a bit on the plants. I was worried that a wind storm or heavy rain would scatter most of the flowers on the ground like last year. Fortunately, the temperatures cooled off just enough last weekend that I could harvest the lavender early Sunday morning before the sun was too strong.

Lavender ready to be harvested at the end of summer

Although many people might find the task a tedious one, I do love the slow process of harvesting the lavender flower stalks from the plant. This is the time of year to just cut the flower stalks off, as the full pruning happens in the spring. While I cut the lavender, I make piles that will be easy to tie together with twine when finished. The neighbor’s tiny white puppy kept me company, occasionally bounding over and snatching a piece before running off!

What happens when a Type A personality harvests lavender ...

Once the bundles are tied up, I hang them to dry for at least a few weeks in our outdoor storage room, which is called a sgabuzzino in Italian. (Isn’t that a fun word to say?)

Ready to be hung in the storage room to dry

I gathered the small bits and pieces of lavender in a basket to add their scent to the rooms of the house as they dry. It’s such a warm and comforting smell!

Bits and Pieces

This year I have exciting plans for the lavender once it dries … but you’ll have to wait a little longer to find out!