About 2 months ago, I had a close encounter with this fearless butterfly in my mom’s garden. I was at less than 2 feet away and she couldn’t care less about my harassing curiosity; she was too busy sucking nectar from those vibrant lavender flowers. If only my little nephew could hold still like that when I take photos of him!

My mom loves lavender and it’s no surprise she planted it in three different spots in the garden. A pretty smart move, considering it attracts beneficial insects, who, in turn, keep the undesired ones in check. Lavender is colorful and provides necessary nutrients for wildlife; it’s drought tolerant, it blooms in early spring and continues until late summer. If this wasn’t enough, its benefits are extended all year around thanks to its moth-repellent properties. Lavender buds can be dried, put in little sachets, and placed in the drawers where you keep your wool or cashmere sweaters (i.e.: the finest natural fibers moths love so much).

If you want to dry lavender, you should cut a big bunch, and hang it upside down in a warm, dark and dry place. Once the flowers have dried completely, you can easily remove them from the stems with your fingers. This year, I was late at harvesting lavender; my mom gave me a couple of reminders but when I was ready to do it, the flowers had just become dry – so I just picked them as they were…and their scent was still powerful! Since I kind of suck at sewing (let alone embroidering), I thought tea filters would be a perfect and easy recipient for my lavender buds. The filter material is thin enough to let natural aromas transpire and it can be easily closed with a string, some glue or a couple of staples. I filled each little bag with 3 teaspoons of lavender buds, then I folded it and I stapled a piece of construction paper on it. SO easy.

My cashmere sweaters are now happy and moth-free. I’m sure all the bees, bumblebees, and butterflies of the garden must have been very thankful for letting them enjoy the lavender flowers to the fullest. Everybody’s happy! Hurray.