Lavender loves the full sun that falls on my secret garden's patio.      Photo by Quincy Benton          

What can I do with my lavender blossoms?

Lavender is most fragrant if harvested just before the buds pop open, but if you have plants still in flower, go ahead and cut them back. Lavender is simple to use. You need not go through drying methods like hanging the bouquet upsidedown in the basement. Try these easy ways to enjoy your lavender harvest.

• Once you cut your lavender, simply arrange it in a vase for an instant nosegay. Do not add water, or the stems will rot.

• Or tie up a bundle with a pretty ribbon or rustic jute twine and hang the bundle or just let the bouquet lie on a tabletop or shelf.

• You might want to make sachets for your drawers or linen closet. One easy way is to purchase some little muslin bags with drawstrings. You can find them at cooking stores. After you cut your wands of lavender, strip off the little purple buds and fill the small muslin bag with the fragrant flowers. To activate the scent, all you need to do is give the sachet a squeeze.

• If you have a pretty bowl or cup, an abalone shell, or another vessel without a top, you might want to fill it with lavender wands or buds. The lavender, uncovered, will act as a potpourri. To refresh the scent, just pick up a small handful of the flowers and rub them between your palms, then replace.

• You can tuck lavender wands into your linens, but be aware that as the flowers dry, they tend to fall off the stem, leaving little oblong shapes that strongly resemble mouse turds—not what you want to see when you open the closet to gather fresh linens.