The List

June 12 through 14  The Fifth Annual Blanco Lavender Festival Nine lavender farms band together in the Texas Hill Country to offer a variety of events that include tours, cuttings and informational classes.

June 19, 20 and 21   The Pennsylvania Lavender Festival Willow Pond Farm in Fairfield has doubled their plantings since 2005 and promise more than one hundred varieties of lavender. Look for garden tours, a number of workshops, live music and a special children's corner.

June 27 and 28  The 2009 Lavender Days Festival Johnson Hill Farms in Franklin County, Massachusetts plays host to visitors who want to enjoy the Lavender Labyrinth or wander the apple orchard. Lavender oil distilling will be demonstrated each day. Workshops and dove releases round out the fun.

June 26 through July 12 (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays)  Lavender Daze 2009 Take part in the harvest at the Happy Valley Lavender and Herb Farm on beautiful Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Take home lavender wands or your own plants after you have indulged in some unusual tasty treats.

June 27  The  Lavender Fair 2009 Spend the day at the historic 110-acre La Paix Herb Farm in Alum Bridge, West Virginia. Lavender abounds at this fair but the "more" highlights living a simple and more sustainable lifestyle. Just Keep Dancing is the theme for 2009. Don't forget to sign up early for the Gourmet Luncheon.

July 6, 7 and 8  Victorian Lavender Festival Beach Lane Lavender Farm in St. John, Nova Scotia, offers its second annual lavender celebration this year with a Victorian-era garden party. Classical music will serenade browsers of more than 40 products to sample and purchase.

July 11  Raspberry-Lavender Day Combine your lavender adventure with a tour of the Canterbury Shaker Village in Canterbury New Hampshire. Enjoy the presentation series about the culinary, medicinal and every day uses of lavender along with lavender lemonade and a visit to the museum store.

July 11 and 12 Sixth Annual Lavender Festival Lavender is certainly on the menu at the Buhl, Idaho, Valley View Lavender Farm's luncheon table during this event but your day could also include an aromatic massage, a pony cart ride and a stroll through the lavender cutting patch.

July 17, 18 and 19 Sequim Lavender Festival This is a big one! With Puget Sound as a backdrop, the annual summer celebration kicks into gear on the Street Fair's main stage. Growers display dozens of varieties of lavender as you tour up to thirty farms or just enjoy the marketplace.

July 17 and 18  Michigan's 7th Annual Lavender Festival Hosted by the folks at Gabriel's Garden, this year's event celebrates the purple plant with workshops and lectures, demonstrations and cooking classes plus artists, gourmet food and a whole lot more.

July 18 and 19  The Eighth Annual San Juan Island  Lavender Festival Pelindaba Lavender is nestled in the hills on San Juan Island in Washington State. Bring your lunch and enjoy a picnic overlooking the fields.

July 21 and 22  Lavender Fields Forever Northern Idaho is cool in more ways than one during July. The Northwest Lavender Guild puts on a show with a wide variety of lavender items, a U-Pick extravaganza and lots of local artisans plus this year's "Freeform Quilt Show."

Late June to mid-July each Year  Hida Kiyomi Lavender Festival Described as "walking on a purple cloud," thousands of lavenders at the Pascal Lavender Park share the stage with the flowers in Makkaichi Lavender Park in Kiyomi, Takayama City, Japan,

Mid-July through August each Year  Provence and Beyond Naturally, France celebrates this lovely flower. Use the link above to find a list of seven of the events around Provence.

Last Three Weeks in January  Australian Lavender Festivals  Lavender is celebrated at a different time of year for those of us who aren't "down under." Check the list link above to find the lavender farms down there.

Tips for Visiting

While we strive for accuracy, double check to make sure all the information is current before setting out to visit a farm. Wear comfortable shoes, carry water and take the sunscreen--these are outdoor events that may require a good bit of walking, or meandering at least. Consider taking a picnic lunch. Lavender farms are a lovely place to relax. Most will offer snacks for sale but you may need something more substantial than the usual sweet treats and condiments. Allow plenty of time to wander about the grounds and gift shops. Take your camera but always ask before shooting. Keep your eyes open for shopping opportunities. Lavender often inspires romantic paintings and home decor items. WATCH FOR BEES!

Growing Your Own Our friend Kristi Fina from White Picket Gardens in Stanwood, Washington offers these hints for growing lavender: Lavender likes a light, well-drained loamy soil. It grows naturally in limestone soils. Good drainage is a must, raised beds are best. When planting add 1/4 cup of dolomite lime as well as 1/4 cup bonemeal and mulch with sand or oyster shells (this keeps the foliage drier as well as reflects heat for bigger flowers). Do not use bark or compost--rot can occur if too much moisture is held in place with the mulch. Lavandula angustifolia and intermediates are the hardiest, surviving to Zone 4. Lavender is drought-tolerant after the first year. Soaker hose is much better than overhead watering for these plants. Prune at least once a year. March is the best time. Cut down to the third leaf node. Remove any flower heads in the fall if they were not picked for drying. When harvesting, ask yourself what will you be using the flowers for? For culinary purposes, cut those buds that are not opened at all. For potpourri, choose buds that have opened all the way for the best oil content. To use the lavender dried, cut flowerheads that are just opening. Dry lavender in 100 stem bundles hung upside down in a dark, well-ventilated area.