We've added one more membership since my last post.  We now are members of the Herb Society of America.  

We have a lot of plans in the researching stage this winter.  One of which is a gated herb garden.  This is my inspiration garden!  We hope to place this between our barn and our lavender field.  We definitely would like to gate it because of our high bunny population.  We've been successful (finally) keeping them out of the lavender, but I think the gate will work better for future plots.  

We are also working on a heath/heather garden.  This one may take a bit of time to come to fruition as I am going to be heavily researching growing heather.  Much of the heather growing in US is centered on either coast - mostly the Northeastern coast, but some in the Pacific Northwest.  We are in the Great Lakes region and as I mentioned there is no chapter here so we are in the Northeastern Heather Society for membership.  There has been some luck growing heather in SW Michigan according to Heather Society members.  However, we are in SE Michigan near the Ohio border.  So we are going with the flow in terms of finding plants (may require travel) and planning a garden.  Heather is quite different than growing lavender. My interest in heather came from my grandmother who is from Scotland.  I've always loved heather.  

Our Etsy store is open and has new holiday gifts.  Go to our store tab to check our new listings.  We have put our in-person shows on hold.  Right now we are keeping to online because we have so much going on behind the scenes and our Etsy orders are keeping me super busy right now.  

We do hope to open the farm to the public by appointment only no later than summer 2019.  However, we may do a few appointments next season depending how much our lavender has grown.  Opportunity for photographers to come and shoot on our property will be available as well in 2018 or 2019.  Please contact me to inquire on pricing of a sitting fee to use the property.  

Will definitely keep you updated on the progress. ​

Lavender Rose Farms is a member of the United States Lavender Growers Association and also the Great Lakes Lavender Growers Association.  We have been members with USGLA for several years.  I have learned a lot through networking and through online groups with these associations.  They also connect lavender farmers in the region and across the nation. 

I'd like to mention the Lavender Rose Farms LLC is a bit unique in that we are also members of the Northeastern Heather Society.  From the Heather Societies website: 

​"The purpose of the Northeast Heather Society is to foster interest in growing heathers (Calluna, Erica, Daboecia, Cassiope, Phyllodoce and Andromeda) in northeastern North America, by serving as a conduit of educational information for both the novice and experienced gardener. The NEHS is a chapter of the North American Heather Society and is the only heather chapter on the east coast covering an area from the New England, Canada, south to Delaware, Maryland and Virginia and west to Ohio. "

While Michigan is a bit out of the range of the group and there is not Midwestern Chapter, the Northeastern Heather Society has graciously accepted us into the fold.  

We plan to begin growing heather along with other herbs and lavender.  This is our first year of full planting at our new location in Monroe so we have yet to plant heather.  However, I am researching cultivars and growing conditions for heather this winter and hope to begin planting a heather garden next season.  We also are planning a butterfly garden, a gated herb and vegetable garden, and a more extensive rose garden.  Obviously, these things will be a work in progress over the next few years.  

Please feel free to look into both the Northeastern Heather Society and the USGLA.  

Northeast Heather Society
www.northeastheathersociety.org/index.html

United States Lavender Growers Association
www.uslavender.org

I recently had someone ask me why did we named our farm Lavender "Rose" farms. They didn't understand the rose part, I imagine, as the lavender is pretty straightforward. The name was inspired by this picture in 2013 for a lavender-infused honey recipe. One of the flavors I was most interested in was lavender and rose petal infused honey. I also thought the name "Lavender Rose" sounded sort of vintage and reminded me of old lace or sort of shabby chic style. I also had a lot of rose bushes in my yard at that time. They had been planted by previous owners of our little suburban house that we lived in around that time.  I cared for the roses lovingly and also dried the petals. 

Also my Dad's favorite flowers were roses. He also had a rose garden by his deck and he grew them well.  His favorites were the yellow roses.  Dad gave my sister and I both a yellow rose bush the year before he passed away to plant at our homes. Sadly, when I moved to Marquette I took the rose thinking we'd be staying long term.  We moved back down state in December so the rose is still blooming in the great Upper Peninsula for someone else to enjoy I imagine.

Since my dad passed in 2012, I often think of the rose in the name of our farm as sort of a way to honor him and his love of roses.  His mother, my grandmother, also had beautiful rose gardens.  She  had a traditional English garden in her yard that was pretty stunning.  As a child I used to love to walk through her yard and look at all the beautiful beds of flowers.  She could grow anything and I think that is where I inherited my green thumb and love for gardening.

I just recently planted a rose bush (pink) at our new property/farm in Monore.  There was already a beautiful red rose bush on the property.  Since I know where my Dad bought the yellow roses I hope to get replacement for the one I no longer have. Eventually when I get enough roses I plan to make a Memorial Rose Garden to tribute my Dad. 

​My mom (also deceased) loved lilacs and any purple flowers so I recently bought 3 Boomerang Purple Lilacs with her in mind.  The last memorial I'd like to plant is a big Magnolia Tree.  The Magnolia is in memory of my gardening grandmother. She had a giant magnolia tree on her property in a vacant lot she owned next to her house.  She eventually sold the lot and a house was built.  Sadly the tree was lost.  However, it never left my mind.  My sister and I sat in that tree for many pictures as small children.  We had a great time climbing it as well every time we could.  

It's funny, but I associate people with plants.  Not just as tributes or memorials, but just their personality and which plants they love.  It's a nice reminder when you see a rose or tree or lilac bush and you think of those you love. 

For my husband, a tree comes to mind and that would be a pine tree.  My husband loves the mountains and pine trees and so when we bought a property for our farm this years we selected one with a lot of pine trees.  Whenever I look at those towering pines of many different varieties I think of him  His name is Jeffrey and there is even a Jeffrey pine. He jokes about that being his tree.

When I think of my oldest son I think of sunflowers.  He always wanted to grow giant sunflowers as a little boy and one year we did just that.  It was as tall as our garage gutters.  He was pretty thrilled with enormity of the sunflower.  My youngest son isn't as much of an outdoor type,  but he likes roses like his grandfather and his great-grandmother.  

Lastly, when I think of my sister I think of spring and tulips.  She had yellow tulips as I recall at her wedding but she loves all tulips of all colors.  

Do you associate any of your loved ones with certain flowers, plants or trees?