Butterfly Lavender Plant
Lavender lovers rejoice! Only one more month until the annual Pelindaba Lavender Festival on beautiful San Juan Island.
Pelindaba Farm
“Pelindaba” comes from the Zulu word meaning “a place of great gatherings.” With a nod to his South African roots, owner/founder Stephen Robins also chose a name that captures his vision of the certified organic farm.
Robins must be doing something right. Viewers of King 5 Evening Magazine, an NBC affiliate, recently crowned Pelindaba “Best Public Garden” for the fifth year since 2009.
Visitor Center
Beyond appreciating the beautiful bucolic setting, visitors can engage in a variety of family fun activities during the festival:
Lavender Gifts
Feed the senses with a stroll through the scented fields, of course. But also be sure to sample the lavender cookies, ice tea and ice cream. Mmm . . .
To find out more about the history of the farm, view the multi-media exhibits on site. Tour the on-site distillery to learn how essential oils are extracted from the flowers.
Learn how to make beautiful crafts, wander through the demonstration garden, or create your own lavender bouquets to bring home.
All in all, what a lovely way to spend a summer’s day . . .
When to go:
The festival runs the weekend of July 20th – 21st 2013, though visitors to the farm are welcome from May – October.
Directions:
- To reach Pelindaba Farm, take the Washington State Ferry from Anacortes, WA or Sidney, BC; the Victoria Clipper from Seattle, WA or Victoria, BC; or fly with Kenmore Air or San Juan Airlines.
- Pelindaba is located one block from the Friday Harbor ferry landing at 150 First Street.
Free parking and admission.
Wander on!
Nancy
What are your favorite summer festivals, wanderboomers?
Nancy,
Thanks for wandering over to Pelindaba Lavender Farm and for this great write up. Hoping you can make it back for the San Juan Island Lavender Festival July 20-21.
Best of wanderings to you!
Pelindaba Lavender
How beautiful. Lavender is my mom in law’s favorite flower and scent. She would love to visit, though the ferry ride might be tough. She does NOT like boats!
What fun! I love lavender. I have two large, healthy shrubs of it in my garden. This year I want to cut it, dry it, and make home made lavender tea cookies and sachets to keep my suitcases fresh!
~Angie
I so wish I was there now. I am a long time lavender lover, both smelling, and seeing it. No festivals planned yet. I was in Europe in May, does that count.
Beautiful pictures, I don’t know why I’ve never added lavender to my garden. I’ll have to remedy that. Kicking off spring my favorite festival is The Newburyport Literary Festival and The Boston Harbor Fest for July 4th and then Stowflake Hot Air Balloon Festival. I’d love to go to the Newport Jazz Fest, I just haven’t had the chance yet. Also on my list to visit, The Daffodil Festival on Nantucket, and Springfest at Shelburne Museum, VT (400 Lilacs, 90 varieties).
This looks wonderful! Here in Rochester, NY, we have the Lilac Festival every spring. The lilacs here are truly stunning. I live not far from a lilac “farm” that has an extraordinary variety of lilacs. It is everyone’s first stop for a mother’s day gift. I bring home two or three huge bouquets to fill our house with fragrance and blooms.
Would love to visit the lavender festival some time.
Yes, I have lovely row of lavender that I planted, too, Angie, but have never cultivated it for cookies or sachets. Maybe this is the year!
Europe always counts in my book, Brenda! Thanks for stopping by ~
The nice thing about lavender is how easy it is to grow. It must be so if I can do it! Sounds like you have a wonderful array of summer festivals to check out, Lynne. Thanks for sharing your favorites with us here.
Hi, Valorie! I had always wanted to attend the Lilac Festival in Rochester, NY when I lived close by, but never made it. If you ever get to Woodland, Washington, be sure and check out the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens. Lilacs are still my all-time favorite flower ~
There’s always travel by air, Karen :-)!
My pleasure . . . I’d love to get back there for the festival next month ~
I’ve never been there, but my boss vacations in Washington every summer and brought all us souvenirs from here one year. Delicious smelling – and one of my co-workers made a lavender frosting for an angel-food type cake with home-grown lavender that was to die for.
Looks like a terrific place!
Smart boss, Beverly :-)! Washington State is a popular summer vacation destination. Okay – I’m adding lavender frosting my ever-growing list of fun uses for this fragrant plant ~
Beautiful, I simply love lavender. I put some on my pillow every night and couldn’t sleep without it these days. Would enjoying visiting this farm. Great Post.:)
Thanks, Maggie! I do the same. I love the smell of lavender ~
What a beautiful and relaxing view to spend some quality time with your loved one! Not to mention, the lavender scent. My mum loves lavender so much and I might surprise her by bringing her to this beautiful place. I’m sure she’ll thank me forever and this will definitely be her favorite place of all time. Ha ha ha. Thanks for sharing your photos.
Is there any activity that you think would be a good idea for a mum and son partnership in the festival?
I agree, Jack. Your mom will love you forever if you take her to the Lavender Festival :-). If I were you, I’d spring for a picnic lunch, saving room for some of those lavender cookies or ice cream. Make sure you come home with lavender from the cutting fields, too. Have fun!
I love my mum so much, she’s everything to me. She took care of me the whole life and now it’s my turn to pay that back. I am also taking my girlfriend with me, that can be a beautiful bonding for my mum and her too.
Thanks again for sharing this wonderful place on your blog. Looking forward to your new blogs.
Sounds like a lovely outing you have planned, Jack.
This will be the time to repay her back for all the things that she have done to me. Thank you again for this beautiful suggestion, Nancy. I will keep on reading your blogs.
🙂