It’s been a year since we planted our small patch of lavender at Stargazers Vineyard and Winery and even though not many of the 700+ plants planted last year survived due to a catalog of disasters, e.g. plants arriving early, a brutally hot dry summer, weed matting issues, etc.,etc, what did survive is blooming beautifully!
This is a photo of our English culinary lavender, Folgate.
This is another of our English culinary lavenders, Melissa.
English lavender blooms early, mid to late May, and has the advantage of blooming again later in the year if it is pruned after its first flowering.
This is the view from Stargazers tasting room of the 1-year old Grosso (a.k.a. fat spike)
As so many plants didn’t make it through the winter we rearranged the plants so that we’d have complete rows of the 1-year old plants, where possible. We were then able to till complete rows and mound the soil, to help with drainage, before planting the new plants. We decided on 200 Grosso and 200 Hidcote Blue.
The new plants have been propagated and raised in PA at Carousel Lavender Farm and so should thrive here at Stargazers.
To celebrate the the lavender garden being in bloom we will be holding lavender wand making classes at 2pm and 3pm on Saturday and Sunday (2nd & 3rd July) at Stargazers in the tasting room. The cost of each class will be $5 and include fresh cut lavender and ribbon. Wine tastings will also be available, $5 for 5 samples, but you may want to try making a wand first 
