Carol says...

Whilst reading my new book collection I came across Carol Klein's suggestion for something to do around now (because I know you're all sitting twiddling your thumbs). But this is something you can do with just a couple of minutes in the garden, so whilst watering, or picking even more beans, you can turn your hand to this one - seed collecting.

Everything is flowering madly so it makes sense that now is the time to collect the seed of your favourites. Carol also suggests that you collect seed from the first flowers that the plant puts out, as these are usually the strongest and biggest. However I have been trying to deadhead regularly, which has to be done before the seed heads ripen. So imagine my excitement when deadheading my Convolvulus Star of Yalta (Morning Glory), which I have been deadheading madly, when I discovered a handful of missed ripe seed heads, and they are lovely!

I intend to leave a few more to ripen now and could collect enough seed to plant most of Truro if I stopped deadheading completely!

So far I have collected:
Astrantia seed, white only sadly, my red appears to have not set seed (or I missed them).
Antirrhinum seed, dark red.
Lychnis Coronaria, pink.
These last two have scarily similar seeds - small, black and shiny, so clearly marked envelopes are essential!

The Convolvulus and Antirrhinum will overwinter in my cool,dry utility room, and be ready to sow in the spring. I will sow some of the Lychnis now to get a head start for next year.

I have already done that with my Alpine Aquilegia and they are already up!

And don't forget, your seed collection doesn't need to be confined to your own garden, you can collect from fellow gardener's plots, however make sure you have permission - sneaking in after dark could lead to people getting the wrong idea!