I had a wonderful afternoon, puttering in my gardens. I weeded, dead-headed spent blooms, talked to the praying mantis sunning itself on the old cultivator in the backyard garden. The garden is changing, as fall approaches. It was a great time to collect seeds, as flowering plants are completing their season.
Some of my flowers are turning to seed, as their blooms fade. I especially wanted to collect seeds from the Fireworks Flowers, since it is an annual. I have so enjoyed these bright pink blooms with the yellow tips. I collected flower heads changing over into seeds and shook them into ziplock baggies, which I then labeled. I have hundreds of seeds! If I am successful starting these next spring, I’ll have seeds and seedlings to give away.
The Calendula flowers are just beginning to create seeds. I gathered a handful of dry seeds, which look like little curled up worms. Most of the seeds are still green and need to dry further.
Although my perennials return year after year, I gathered seeds from purple and white coneflowers, Black-eyed Susans and the clematis vines. Curiosity led the way. I want to plant the seeds next spring and see how they do. I am a gardener who is continuing my education about plants and growing them, fueled by a deep desire to learn and wonderment about nature. As a result, I hope to have plants to share in the spring and I can always find room for more flowers!
I completed my afternoon outdoors by watering the gardens by hand, dragging a garden hose behind me as I moved through each section. It was a gorgeous day, warm but with a cooling breeze. I wanted to linger in this paradise a bit longer. It brings me great joy to care for these plants. They exist simply and offer their beauty completely. As the water stirred the plants in the apothecary garden the herbs released their frangrances. The delicate aromas of basil, lavender, oregano, sage and rosemary wafted around me. Contentment and gratitude flowed from me, a sweet frangrance that blended perfectly with the scented air. What absolute bliss.
