Lavender was the first scent I fell in love with in about 1998 when I started learning about natural health and wellness and was introduced to aromatherapy. Besides the earthy yet floral scent, I loved the actual flowers and the whole aesthetic of French lavender fields, a lavender sachet tucked into a drawer or a bouquet of lavender tied with ribbon atop a stack of vintage books.
For me, lavender brings to mind milled soap, embroidered linen or a sunset sky. The simple things in life. Elegance and grace.
In my late college days, I told my roommate about my idea of someday running Lavender Lane Bed & Breakfast and she gifted me drawings of what my logo and sign might look like. I’ve dreamed of visiting a lavender field and picking a bouquet to dry at home.
In June 2016, I was invited on a field trip to an Arizona lavender farm with a group of ladies from the Gilbert Historical Society and we drove there and back on a Saturday. It’s about four hours from the southeast Phoenix valley to the farm and I promised myself I’d never do the trip in one day again so this time we made it a three generations two-day road trip. Our route was up the 87 through Payson. We drove the three hours from Chandler to Snowflake, Arizona on Thursday, ate a late lunch/early dinner at a charming cafe then checked into our Airbnb and spent the evening there. We had a leisurely morning Friday and drove the 45 minutes to the farm in Concho where we spent about 2.5 hours on the farm and drove straight home. In hindsight, another night in Snowflake would have been extra relaxing and fun so maybe we’ll do that next year.
The place is the Red Rock Lavender Farm in Concho, Arizona for their yearly festival when they open the farm to the public for you-pick lavender bouquets, wine tasting, shopping and, obviously, photo ops. 2020 Festival information can be found here.
I wanted to share the pictures I took on my Nikon. I was thrilled they turned out so well of my mom, Kate and the bees. These photo ops and memories alone made the trip worth it. Plus we had a marvelous time and enjoyed cooler temperatures and even rain!
The Red Rock lavender farm is so picturesque set against the red rocks. And you can imagine the heavenly smell! It was overcast and breezy when we were there.
The bees looked like they were straight out of a children’s picture book! Kate was fascinated by them.
While Mom attended the owner’s talk about growing and cooking with lavender….
Kate and I explored! I ordered this dress from Amazon just for the trip and I’m so glad I did!
A yellow butterfly snuck into this shot.
Lavender is like a magic wand.
The face you make when you’ve been in a lavender field for an hour.
It was my mom’s first time on a lavender farm!
Nana helped Kate clip her lavender bouquet. This was a major highlight for Kate.
My mom took some pictures of me and Kate, too!
It was an unforgettable experience and one we will cherish for years to come! And our lavender will dry out in a few weeks and we can enjoy that, too. If you’re ever able to make it to the Red Rock Lavender Farm, I highly recommend it. Make sure to check out the goodies and wine in the gift shop, too!
Get more info about the farm and the festival HERE.
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