Saving Flower Seeds, Harvesting Strawflowers, Raised Bed Garden Inspiration from Longwood Gardens!!!

Today I'm saving flower seeds, harvesting strawflower, tomatoes, and peppers, and taking us on a field trip to longwood gardens. I'm looking for inspiration for the raised bed garden next year. I would like to surround the raised bed with a repetitive landscape planting that is just for enjoyment, and not for cutting.

[@sarahlovesdonuts9601]

I want you to know that I will not ever have the opportunity to visit any of gardens like those you share with us. I so appreciate having the opportunity to learn and be inspired by these beautiful places. I’ve only been gardening since lockdown began. Channels like yours have inspired and encouraged me to create a garden that is a 1000 times more beautiful than than what formerly occupied those spaces. Every flower, shrub and vegetable that comes to life fills me a glee that I never would have predicted. Some very good things have come from the last 2.5 years. Thank you !!! 🌸💗🌸💗🌸

[@fraukeg.facchini2691]

Interesting straw flower and seed harvest. If you're not a hot and sweaty mess occasionally, you're not a gardener, LOL!

[@kmarch6630]

Your gardens are just as beautiful as Longwood.

[@lilacDaisy111]

The mosquitoes in Australia can get THICK! What works for me 100% is peppermint oil! No stinky chemical blend. Just dab on your forehead, neck, ears, and your face will be protected for an hour or two. I used to live in a house without window screens or air conditioning, so I *had* to open windows in summer, and peppermint oil saved my sanity ... and skin. ;-)

[@NewTasty]

Only garden lovers or flower lover know how that feels, such a beautiful video ever to me. I'm watching with love and smile. thank you for this lovely video.

[@apotheosisofarose1425]

We are many garden zones apart but you are still my favorite KZbin gardener 🥰🌺🌻

[@carriemoriarity5806]

Longwood is my heaven on earth! My favorite place to visit when I go back east!

[@patsyjennings5133]

Your a magical person of the earth and very beautiful. Your eyes sparkle when you talk garden. I love your videos

[@savedsole3848]

Use dryer sheets to keep the mosquitoes away. Doesn’t matter what kind. Fresh out of the box. You can even rub them on your clothes, hat, skin. It works

[@cindylouwhobohl6983]

Not good. Do you know how many chemicals and poisons are in those drier sheets.

[@teresa4973]

If you're just putting it on your clothes and not your skin, it should be fine. It's better than getting bit by mosquitoes 😄

[@aleialaw]

Oh wow never knew this.

[@Ohiogardengoddess]

First Danielle! Yay! Drinking coffee and gardening ☕

[@darrylsharongrimaldi2040]

My girls and I have been singing Christmas music in Oklahoma too! We've just had so Much BRUTAL heat for 41 days in a row. We have been singing, "Oh the weather outside is frightful . . . let it snow, let snow, let it snow!"

[@darrylsharongrimaldi2040]

We have had a break now and some rain. We even went outside to see it.

[@gardeninfatuation964]

My Nannie had a "Sunken Garden" I use that term loosely because I don't think my grandmother was a gardener. They had an old barn foundation on their property, there was a huge Maple tree, daffodils and poppies! We always had our family BBQ's in the Sunken Garden! It's my dream to have my very own Sunken Garden!

[@dawnmitzner5222]

It’s always a great day when I start it in the garden with Danielle! Thanks for sharing your harvesting and seed saving tips!

[@deannaginder-west4995]

What a great video! The way you explained the seed collection was awesome! The butterflies flying behind you at the end was so sweet! And you are so blessed to live so close to Longwood gardens! Thanks for taking us along!

[@teresataylor8267]

I wear a bee keeper hat while I plant or harvest and I am not eaten alive with mosquitoes or no seeums. I enjoyed touring Longfield Gardens. Thank you.

[@amyjones2490]

I was wondering if that would work.

[@teresataylor8267]

@@amyjones2490 works so well for me!

[@honoregale856]

Thank you so much for taking us to Longwood water park. Really beautiful. Regarding mosquitos they say we all give off pheromones which attract the insects and some of us humans are more tasty than others!

[@NicolesGardenNS]

Thanks for another lovely video :) My mom gave me a food dehydrator last year, it wasn’t even a fancy or expensive one but it made great sun dried tomatoes! I used small cherry tomatoes cut in half, sprinkled with a little salt and fresh thyme from the garden and then froze them, so I didn’t have to pack them in oil. We ate them all well before spring :)

[@karenlapierre]

Danielle thank you for bringing us along to Longwood Gardens. I look forward to this quick trips. You must live so close. I went last Thanksgiving and I’m amazed at the transformation each season. I just told my husband we live only about 6 hours away in Massachusetts and we need to go at least once every new season. Love your channel Danielle. You were born to be in front of the camera. Your gardens make me feel that what you create is doable for us everyday hobbyists. Thank you for sharing all your knowledge with us friend ❤

[@roxananunez4238]

I use a hoodie to cover my head and a mask 😷 to protect myself from those horrible mosquitoes 🦟 while I’m watering my garden and it helps a lot

[@annkendall528]

Thank you for that tour of Longwood Gardens. I have been there once years ago and I was overwhelmed. It would be great to visit it occasionally during the growing season.

[@judymckerrow6720]

Thank you Danielle 🌺💚🙃

[@riverunner9978]

Thank you for the awesome tour of Longwood gardens, the water features are fantastic!

[@doowopshopgal]

What a harvest!!!!! You have a gorgeous garden

[@sharonrickards3297]

Thanks for the trip to Longwood. It's been years since I've been there. So much to see and so pretty at Christmas!

[@gibby041]

After viewing this video.. I went right out and harvested seeds from my Cleome.. thank you! Really starting to focus on saving seeds from everything including my organic veggies.,

[@rbthegardennannyllc4219]

Garden is so beautiful this time of the year. Thanks for sharing your garden and the Longwood garden trip.

[@laurieg5308]

Oh man, Asian tiger mosquito 🦟 what a miserable pest to have! Living at the JerseyShore I have first hand experience 😩 Thanks for the seed saving tips!

[@wbflowersvt]

What a treat to get to see another part of Longwood Gardens! My husband and I stumbled upon it on a road trip years ago; time for a return trip!

[@debrabray8855]

Thank you for sharing seed collection with us. It's one of my gardening goals.

[@Blake.Cooper]

Yay!! Another video!! I've waited all week! Happy weekend! 😁

[@cindylouwhobohl6983]

When it’s very humid and hot in Illinois the mosquitoes are horrible. They really like me. We have had a lot of rain here also. This week however it is cool with no humidity. A little taste of fall. 50’s at night. Hopefully coming your way. You are so fortunate to live near Longwood gardens. Never been there. It is gorgeous! We live about an hour from Missouri Botanical Gardens. It is equally beautiful!

[@pamd1861]

thanks for sharing Danielle ! I have yet to go to Longwood amazingly ...but will this fall! I will harvest the cleome seeds like you showed thanks for the tip😊

[@bloodraven22]

Sun-dried tomatoes are so easy! I use a food dehydrator but an oven on low temperature also works. I store them in olive oil with a little rosemary. Great for cherry tomatoes too! Bright bites of sunshine.

[@Cathy_MidwestHome_Hens]

I have a purple/green leaf vine on a combo basket I bought this year and after about 6 weeks, it produced gorgeous purple trumpet flowers that only lasted a day.

[@audramacbeth2969]

Thank you for taking me on your garden walk.

[@suekrebs3497]

Loved the Longwood tour! I appreciate the seed saving information so much. Here in Wisconsin we also have mosquitos. I wear a Bug Baffler outfit which is lightweight and protects me from bug bites. They also have a separate hood which can be worn over your hat with the straps under your arms. I have a bad reaction to insect bites so I am so glad to wear this. Thanks for another great video!

[@joycedagostino8869]

Nice harvest from your vegetable garden, hope you enjoy the tomato soup! I grew strawflowers last year as a cool flower and was able to harvest quite a few and just dry the heads, cut the plants down after that first harvest and then got a second flush of blooms before the frost. My Granddaughter made two grapevine wreaths this summer using the strawflowers we saved, one was for her Mom and one for her other Grandmother and they were so pretty and everyone loved them. Longwood Gardens is so lovely and no wonder you enjoy visiting there, the water features they have are just spectacular. Thanks again for your garden walk.

[@katrienvh4289]

I'm beginning to see cross spiders in the garden. For me that is also the sign that fall is around the corner. And feels strange because we are in a heat wave and desperate for rain. Not normal weather for Belgium, we normally have mild and wet summers. 😳

[@TeresaByington]

Fun video! Melina Fleur is a favorite for me too! And the same on Cup and Saucer blooms … I wish they lasted longer! There’re so pretty.

[@user-fd3wl1pr7s]

oh the butterflies fluttering by!

[@ninamaljkovic81]

❤❤❤

[@barbaralamoreaux328]

I might just go to Longwood today! Thanks for the reminder of how gorgeous it is!

[@ElderandOakFarm]

Its so funny you say that about being in the christmas spirit- I was jist thinking the other day how I was ready for christmas! I'm also ready for fall, too!

[@karac.a.]

I once read a study saying that mosquitoes are less likely to go to you if you’re wearing green, blue, or purple and they’re more attracted to red, orange, black, and cyan.

[@greenthumbelina7331]

Danielle, the Longwood Gardens are beautiful, thanks for taking us along. In Lincoln, Nebraska there are beautiful Sunken Gardens that I love to visit, and I also really enjoy going to Omaha's Lauritzen Gardens. The only bad thing about going to either of these lovely gardens is that they are both over 100 miles away from where I live. Thanks for showing the best stage to harvest strawflowers for a less open bloom when they are completely dried. I will definitely grow some next year! I hope you have a wonderful weekend! ~Margie😊💐🦋

[@jillshippy5157]

I so admire your persistence harvesting your flowers while surrounded by mosquitoes! I live in California in an area that does not have huge amounts of mosquitoes. I must be a “fair weather gardener” because in addition to the humid heat you have and with how I react to insect bites I would sadly probably just stay indoors under those conditions. This, as well as all of your videos, was wonderful! I LOVE how you are developing your gardens! Oh, if ONLY I had your space (AND your touch)!!!

[@QueenAnnesLace13]

I have been struggling with my small border trying to decide on a uniformed color scheme, the Longwood Gardens tour definitely gave some ideas. It's always fun and informative spending time with you, thank you!

[@bc.dorian]

My cup and saucer blooms do the same, once they reach the "purple" stage they do not last long. Thank you for the tour, I must plan a Longwood Garden visit!

[@videoability1]

Danielle ~ That hummingbird was just a kiss from Heaven where your grandmother was letting you know she was there with you in spirit! I'm glad you noticed her buzzing by! Love Longwood Gardens. Hope to visit there again soon! Thanks for taking us along! Choosing Joy Stephanie

[@naturewalks]

Thank you so much for you video! Wishing you a happy and prosperous weekend!

[@suyen4999]

I always love your videos ❤️. I love how you mix a variety of things: harvesting vegs, a Gracie moment (so cute!), a Longwood tour and back to your amazing garden again. I always love it when you take us to Longwood Gardens! You videos mean so much to me. And yes, my garden is teeming with mosquitos too! I always cover up, spray, but they always seem to find that sliver of unprotected skin. Had a big swell on my lower cheek this morning 😂.

[@selenanieto8152]

Hi Danielle, Try using hey spray sanitizer on your mosquito bites. I make my own with half rubbing alcohol and half water. Then I add a few drops of peppermint or grapefruit essential oil. I find the sooner you get it on the bite the better. It really helps with the itch!

[@elsafischer3247]

You are so lucky for all your rain

[@katrienvh4289]

Try using a lavendel perfume, mosquito don't like lavendel smell. I use "eau de cologne" made from lavendel and is so nice and fresh.

[@vickiecheek5096]

Your garden is so beautiful! I just started following you. I love the bounty of veggies you got in this video. To keep the mosquitos away use Avons Skin so Soft and just spray it on yourself. It doesn't have any chemicals that bug sprays have and it smells pretty good too. Thanks for taking us along on your tour of Longwood Gardens. It's a beautiful place!

[@teresa4973]

I love when you take us to Longwood Gardens! I need to go in person one day soon, it's only about 3 hours from me here in Virginia. Also, I've made dried tomatoes in the dehydrator and they were so much better than store bought... I didn't even get to store them because I just ate them as a snack 😀

[@karenbudnick]

Thanks for sharing and send rain!!!

[@marthabourassa7909]

Danielle, I cannot begin to express to you how much I love your videos. I spent a lot of the past week or so inside watching gardening videos because of the unbearable heat wave we’ve been experiencing here on the East Coast. Because I watched so many, I could not remember where I saw the absolutely beautiful Big Beef and Lemon Boy tomatoes. I just finished watching this video, and - lo and behold - there you were with the Big Beef and Lemon Boy tomatoes. Ta-da! I learn SO MUCH from you and wanted to tell you that. It’s so helpful to have a mentor that I can relate to, i.e. Zone 6B with oppressive humidity (Rhode Island). Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. 🌷💚

[@SignorAveya]

Wonderful. Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@nelllynd4914]

Beautiful!!! Thanks for the tour!!!

[@rachellleleux7463]

Beautiful harvest basket!

[@rflo6294]

I really enjoyed the tour, thx , happy gardening !!

[@angelwolfe6728]

Always a joy to visit Longview with you! I grew cleome for the first time and my aunt asked if I’d share some seeds so this was super helpful! Thanks a bunch! 💜

[@coloradotulips]

Peruvian lilies (alstroemeria) - you asked about any experience with it. I had some last year in Zone 5b in a protected corner nestled between the house and stairs. They died back, and we had such a ridiculously warm winter that they started sprouting again in February, and then died after we got some big snow. It was ridiculously strange! When it was summer, I found it true that regrowth was best for new flower stems by pulling the entire stem - it popped from ground level with a little yank. You’d get new flowers from a cut stem (I’d originally been just deadheading), but I’d do the yank-and-pop method for cut flowers if I grew again.

[@kuchdilsecreationsbysonali9605]

Beautiful beautiful gardens ,birds and butterflies,thank u for sharing and spreading so much joy

[@gloriaruiz2332]

What a beautiful basket of produce from your own garden.And thank you for the tour to this amazing place.❤️

[@AngieCathcart]

I grew Lemon Boy this year and love them!

[@daygirl2659]

Thank you Danielle for all the beautiful sights and sounds💖🌸🌿 I think I have those same mosquitos 😖 I was thinking about getting a Dynotrap but I’d better read the reviews on it first. Have a great day🤗

[@joydaniel597]

Danielle I went to longwood garden around December last year after I watched your video where you went there around Christmas time.

[@katebarrett1924]

Hi Danielle - i heard you ask what questions we had about fall planting cool flowers. I want to try it this year! Here are a few questions - which ones have you direct sown - and what does row covers mean exactly? when do you put them on? use hoops? take them off, etc. If you start seeds indoors, I assume you harden them off - do you include that time in your planning for how many weeks before? Can you walk us thru that timeline? And any help on starting snaps! My success rate isn't high for them and I LOVE them! Thanks Danielle!!

[@franziluton680]

Great seed lessons!! Thank you!

[@fraukeg.facchini2691]

I agree that the harvest basket is as beautiful as a bouquet of flowers, and it inspired me to try new tomato varieties. Greetings from SW PA!

[@debbieriedel9185]

Thanks for sharing your beautiful trips to longwood gardens, I really love it there 🦋

[@flowerpixel]

Great drying tips!

[@rebecaorsi554]

Love this . Thank you for sharing. So beautiful

[@melonieroe7310]

Wow..my husband is from Delaware..he has been talking about Longwood Gardens for years. Its on my bucket list. But we live in southern California making it difficult to get there. Thanks so much for sharing Nicole. Love all your videos

[@amyjones2490]

Interesting learning about seed saving.

[@fayequintus8764]

Your garden is beautiful and thank you for the road trip! A two stunning garden day!

[@margaretmaguire3329]

Amazing👍😀🌺

[@sable10]

I love your videos!!! Beautiful and informative! ❤❤

[@pamulapowell3951]

Gorgeous

[@sandrasmith8100]

I always learn something from your videos! Thanks so much 🌸💗

[@paulsr.dicrispino642]

I really enjoyed your videos.

[@urbangardeningandchickenke1018]

Excellent garden

[@carlas872]

What a wonderful tour of Longwood Gardens! We'll definitely have to put that on our bucket list. Thank you for showing us how to dry strawflowers and collect seeds from cleome! You're always such an inspiration. Sorry you're getting bit by sqeeters!

[@zarahsgarden2097]

I definitely need an in depth video about seed saving. I wanted to try saving my own seeds this year but I don't know much about it - only that some things can cross pollinate so you can use organza bags to prevent that from happening lol

[@stephaniejohnson2937]

Loved the views of Longwood 💕 and this was the first time I saw cleome seeds…the deer always got to mine before they went to seed 🦌

[@flowerswiththefossfamily5941]

I so appreciate your tutorials!!! I’ve been wondering exactly how I should dry my straw flowers! They are all almost all open already! I love that look, but not when they open so big and dry that way! I would love a detailed video on collecting seeds from these and other flowers!

[@teresa4973]

The mosquitos live in the wood mulch that is on the ground in my garden. I think because it holds moisture. I put some Bonide mosquito beater granules all over the mulch and that helped so much 👍 It's made with essential oils and garlic so it's safe for people and pets 😊 It works great!

[@NorthlawnFlowerFarm]

Thank you!!

[@teresa4973]

@@NorthlawnFlowerFarm I forgot to say it's the granulated kind that I use.

[@laurieh9388]

Your tomatoes are awesome! Never been to Longwood, so that's exciting! Tomatoes soup recipe? Grace is adorable!!

[@hylandgundy2698]

For mosquitos I use an organic spray called Repel. It is a lemon/eucalyptus mix & is Deet free. I can spray my hands & then wipe my neck, ears & face. I direct spray on my arms & legs. Amazon. It works well.

[@kathrynmettelka7216]

Seed saving. So exciting. This is my first time.

[@serometate1031]

Beautiful gorgeous flowers and harvest…pineapple tomatoes is on my list after seeing yours…my cup and saucer white flowers last about 5 days to a week I live in Fries VA

[@emkn1479]

Beautiful harvest! Not sure, but I’m guessing that here in PA we don’t have a dry enough climate to sun dry… Do you have a dehydrator? Oh! And I’ve heard of that silver leaved sunflower on Margaret Roach’s podcast, A Way To Garden. It’s a native annual to the southeast I think. Pretty sure Select Seeds carries it-on my list to try next year!

[@NorthlawnFlowerFarm]

Thank you for the seed info! I don't have a dehydrator, but maybe I can borrow one from a friend!

[@emkn1479]

@@NorthlawnFlowerFarm Good idea 🙂 I’ve seen folks make “gummies” using zucchini in a dehydrator. Fruit leather too. I’m going to give it a try with some overgrown specimens 🙈

[@annkendall528]

When you toss the seeds out in your garden do you not weed later on. I would never remember that I tossed the seeds out there and would probably pull them up when weeding.

[@emkn1479]

I got some volunteer starts of cleome from a friend a few years ago…it was thick in her garden. It grew well and reseeded in gravel but none of the seeds I sprinkled in my annual flower garden germinated 🤷‍♀️ It was so disappointing. Maybe they got buried somehow? Do they need light to germinate? I want to try again because they are so dynamic!

[@lynettereese993]

I used to live in Florian on a canal, mosquitoes were so bad we couldn’t go outside. Found mosquito barrier and omg it works so good. Lasts about 3 weeks then u have to spray again. And all it is is garlic and water. Super easy to use. Stinks when u spray it but after that u can’t smell it at all. I’m not affiliated or anything, just sharing what works for me. I order it on Amazon. I would add a link but not sure if that is ok or not.

[@flowerpixel]

I keep seeing hummingbirds on my cleome and I didn't even know they liked cleome

[@gardengirl7446]

Did Grace get the treat you promised her? 🐕 great video! Loved Longwood!

[@julieculshaw4031]

I found on the internet a simple way to simulate sun-dried tomatoes. Cut cherry tomatoes (or regular tomatoes too) in half, sprinkle with sea salt and toss with some olive oil. Place cut side up on foil-lined cookie sheets and bake for 6 hours at 225 degrees. Then I bag them and freeze them