I went to the Sequim Lavender Festival this weekend. It’s a summertime festival that I almost always attend each year, weather dependent. As mentioned in my last blog, Sequim, Washington is considered to be the “lavender capital of North America,” due to its ideal growing conditions for the purple bloom. It sits in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains along the north coastline of Washington State, on the Olympic Peninsula. The Lavender Festival runs for a 3-day weekend during the middle of each July. The street fair in town features over 150 vendors of crafts and lavender products produced by the local lavender farms, along with food vendors and live music. Most of the local lavender farms feature free tours, and most have gift shops with wonderful lavender crafts and lavender infused products. It’s an all day affair, if one plans on perusing the street fair along with visiting the lavender farms. I had started this a few weekends ago, visiting some of the farms. There are so many of them! You can visit them all summer long. It’s just that during the festival, many of the farms plan a few extra goodies for the public. It’s a lot of fun!

After my legs gave out walking the street fair, I drove around to some of my favorite lavender farms. I say “favorite” because of the great photo ops they offer, or because I favor certain products that their gift shops offer. The first one I will start with is Martha Lane Lavender. This lavender farm has large fields of gorgeous lavender along with a pretty gazebo. The gift shop is located in the front entrance of a beautiful Victorian style house. They offer different flavors of lavender ice cream and lavender lemonade. Yum!

Another absolutely gorgeous lavender farm setting is Kitty B’s Lavender Farm (formerly Oliver’s).  The pretty floral landscaping is outstanding! Lots of photo ops here!

And last, but not least, is Nelson’s Duckpond and Lavender Farm. This rural haven is located on the south side of the main highway (Hwy 101) that runs through Sequim. Most of the farms are located on the north side of the highway. I like to visit this lavender farm during the festival because the owners make special batches of lavender sugar cookies for the affair. They are sooo good! They also make their own packaged mixes of lavender poundcake … another scrumptious delight. Also, their scented bar soaps are one of my favorites. They really lather up a storm and smell so good!

Walk to the rear of the property and take a stroll around the duckpond or picnic in the shade.

There is one other lavender farm located on the north side of the highway, Lost Mountain Lavender. It is a small farm, but the gift shop makes some of the best bar soaps … another of my favorites.

There are more than a dozen lavender farms in the Sequim area. Take time to visit them all, as each one is unique in their own way and produce their own line of products. As well, if you spot one, purchase the Sequim Lavender Growers Association For the Love of Lavender. It is a handbook filled with the best recipes and uses for lavender I have come across!

All photos property of Peggy A Thompson