• About
  • Login to comment
    • Facebook
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Now Smell This

a blog about perfume

Menu ▼
  • Perfume Reviews
  • New Perfumes
  • Perfumers
  • Perfume Houses
  • Shop for perfume
  • Resources

Lavender for Days ~ Sequim Lavender Festival 2011

Posted by Kevin on 6 July 2011 42 Comments

My tired nose is on a brief hiatus from perfume-sniffing. Right now, I’m devoting my appreciation of scent to what’s blooming in the garden: mock-orange/Philadelphus (one of those glorious floral aromas that no perfume can duplicate), honey locust trees, roses, wallflowers, gardenia, jasmine, clove-y “pinks,” peonies…and lavender.

West of Seattle, a large area of land near the town of Sequim, Washington, is devoted to lavender production, and I’m heading there next weekend to breathe in lavender's pungent, herbal aromas. Lavender…in soggy western Washington, you ask? Sequim is located in what residents of Seattle fondly, yearningly call “the rain shadow” of the Olympic Mountains in the Sequim-DungenessValley. Rainfall is usually less than 20 inches a year in the sunny rain shadow, so lavender thrives. As Seattle is the “Paris of the Northwest,” so Sequim is the Provence of  the U.S. (Relax! You may laugh!)

I lived in Seattle well over a decade before venturing to the Sequim Lavender Festival. When I read or heard the words “lavender festival,” images of dotty grandmothers (think Northwest versions of Mrs. Slocombe from Are You Being Served?) with big hats and big hair came to mind, older ladies who were more interested in buying lavender sachets, wreathes, and lavender water by the gallon than enjoying the open fields and landscape of Sequim. (Yes, snobbish of me, but I DO enjoy a truly dotty grandma when I meet one.) After going to Sequim in person last year, I realized the festival is full of people from around the U.S. and abroad: every age, sex, sexual persuasion, ethnicity and political affiliation was represented. There was even a tough-looking motorcycle “gang” in attendance, adorned with bushy moustaches and tattoos galore (none of a lavender sprig, as far as I could tell). I was just as likely to meet Indian women in gorgeous saris in the lavender fields as Seattle earth-mothers in North Face® jackets and Birkenstocks, or homespun grannies in flowered shifts and white tennis shoes.

My favorite moment at the festival last year was finding myself, almost alone, in a lavender field, as a man, sitting on a stool beside a clump of bright-red opium poppies, played his fiddle. The tune was Dvorak-esque — quiet, meandering, folksy, emotional. To hear beautiful music from a single instrument in a field full of flowers was a magical experience.

At 2010′s festival, in addition to smelling many varieties of lavender as I walked through the gorgeous fields, there was lots to eat, drink and buy (every type of lavender product imaginable). At the street fair, lavender-accented food and drink was for sale: grilled chicken and lamb with lavender leaves; lavender flavored teas, cocktails, lemonade, spices, honey, jams, jellies, syrups, sauces (lavender-chocolate sauce is delicious, as is lavender BBQ sauce); lavender salad dressing; lavender-honey ice cream; lavender sorbet; lavender brownies;  and lavender-vanilla cheesecake. (Most lavender farms sell lavender plants, too.)

What did I buy?  I became a fan of Purple Haze Lavender soaps (my favorite scents are plain lavender; lavender-patchouli-rosemary; lavender-tangerine; and lavender-lemon). There’s also a useful soap for travelers: the shampoo bar made with lavender and rosemary essential oils. (And I guess I should admit I bought a couple mini-lavender wreathes that looked rather “French Country” when I attached them to the tops of two late-19th century family portraits on the walls of my living room.)

There were lots of interesting animals on the farms — I spotted llamas and, at Sunshine Herb & Lavender Farm, miniature Southdown sheep (used as “weeders”). The Sequim valley is HOT: leave your dogs at home. Dogs are not allowed in the lavender fields and they can’t be left in the car unattended (you will, rightly, be ticketed and your dog rescued — even if it means breaking car windows — if you do so). Since the dog will stay at home, buy him or her something nice, like The Lavender Connection’s lavender-infused pet bed or pet blanket, or one of the many pet toiletries at Moosedreams Lavender Farms (where a portion of the profits from pet products are donated to animal welfare and rescue organizations). I’m going to check out Moosedreams’ calming mist for dogs, with notes of vetiver, lavender and sweet orange (sounds wonderful...even for humans).

The Sequim Lavender Festival is the largest lavender event in North America; it’s held on July 15, 16 and 17, 2011. This year’s featured lavender farms are: Blackberry Forest; Martha Lane Lavender; Oliver’s Lavender Farm; Nelson’s Duck Pond & Lavender Farm; Lost Mountain Lavender; Peninsula Nurseries and The Lavender Connection. If you prefer a quieter experience and won’t miss the festival’s food, music, and street fair, you can visit Sequim after the festival ends. Sequim lavender fields continue to bloom into September, and most of the lavender farms’ shops are open year-round.

Note: images of lavender by the author (from the 2010 Sequim Lavender Festival); image of Mrs. Slocombe (actress Mollie Sugden) via Wikimedia Commons.

Filed Under: perfume talk
Tagged With: lavender, scent event, seattle

Advertisement


42 Comments

Leave a comment, or read more about commenting at Now Smell This. Here's our privacy policy, and a handy emoticon chart.

  1. behemot says:
    6 July 2011 at 2:35 pm

    Kevin, thank you for reminding me about this one! Will go there too, hoping for relaxing and good smelling experience. It is not far from I Seattle..
    Tonight I am going to San Francisco for a few days. Any interesting perfume shops there??

    Log in to Reply
    • Kevin says:
      6 July 2011 at 6:43 pm

      behemot: you’re welcome. Maybe someone from SF will have a favorite shop they can mention…I just like going to the Diptyque Boutique there…otherwise there are just big department stores…..

      Log in to Reply
    • ggperfume says:
      7 July 2011 at 12:51 pm

      Let me start you off with a few choices. Jacqueline Perfumery at 103 Geary Street; Barney’s at 77 O’Farrell St; Neiman Marcus at 150 Stockton St; Saks at 380 Post St; the Diptyque Boutique at 171 Maiden Lane and Chanel Boutique at 155 Maiden Lane. They’re all downtown within a few blocks of each other.

      Log in to Reply
    • ggperfume says:
      7 July 2011 at 1:01 pm

      Oh, and Gump’s at 135 Post St and Hermes at 125 Grant Ave. Both close to the other shops I listed above.

      Log in to Reply
      • Kevin says:
        7 July 2011 at 9:25 pm

        GG: Thanks…I made note of these myself since I’ll be in SF for the big G Stein shows.

        Log in to Reply
  2. Rappleyea says:
    6 July 2011 at 2:35 pm

    This sounds absolutely fabulous, Kevin! I’d love to go. Recently I was gifted with a bag of organic lavender sugar from Little Sky Lavender Farm. It smells like heaven when I open it up. I’ve been using it in my tea.

    I’m going to be busily clicking on these links. The soaps also sound marvelous.

    Log in to Reply
    • Kevin says:
      6 July 2011 at 6:44 pm

      Rappleyea: lavender sugar or lavender-vanilla bean sugar is good!

      Log in to Reply
  3. OperaFan says:
    6 July 2011 at 2:37 pm

    How beautiful!
    I have a cluster of munstead lavenders growling along the front walk that have just passed their first wave of blooms. Last weekend when I was weeding around them, each time the wind blew it wafted the scents to me and surrounded me. Heaven!

    Log in to Reply
    • Kevin says:
      6 July 2011 at 6:45 pm

      Operafan: it’s always nice to smell lavender in the HOT sun, isn’t it?

      Log in to Reply
  4. jirish says:
    6 July 2011 at 2:38 pm

    I would love to visit this festival. I’ve been in the area immediately after the festival, on one of my favorite vacations, hitting not only the Sequim Lavender fields, but also Olympic National Park, with its mountains, hot springs, Crescent Lake, the rainforest, and the coastline. It’s a truly gorgeous area. My husband and I have still have dreams of retiring to a lavender farm in Sequim. In the meantime, we’ve lined the walkway to our house with lavender. Not quite the same as being in Sequim, but for now it will have to do!

    Log in to Reply
    • Kevin says:
      6 July 2011 at 6:46 pm

      Jirish: Crescent Lake is gorgeous…as are the Pacific beaches. I need a trip to the coast.

      Log in to Reply
  5. Jalee says:
    6 July 2011 at 3:35 pm

    The Oregon Lavender Festival is this weekend. We’re not as renowned as Sequim, but it’s quite lovely with lots of nice crafts, food, and drink, and of course the opportunity to stroll through some gorgeous fields. Highly recommended! (And the weather has just gotten nice.)

    Log in to Reply
    • Kevin says:
      6 July 2011 at 6:47 pm

      Jalee: here too…the last two days have finally topped 80 degrees F.

      Log in to Reply
  6. maggiecat says:
    6 July 2011 at 4:23 pm

    Texas has lavender fields and fesitavlas too! And they all sound heavenly – wish I could get away. A lavender dog bed sounds perfect for my basset, Nessa, who has been smelling rather…basset-y…lately. :-)

    Log in to Reply
    • Kevin says:
      6 July 2011 at 6:48 pm

      Maggie: with Bassets you just learn to LOVE their smell. HA! (Same with beagles….)

      Log in to Reply
  7. Aparatchick says:
    6 July 2011 at 4:56 pm

    “Sequim is the Provence of the U.S. ” :-) Kevin, I have to say, I’ve never thought of Sequim that way.

    I’m not a fan of lavender, but I love lilac, so when I lived in Washington I’d get my outdoor-fragrance-fix at the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens in Woodland. Though there were plenty of dotty grandmothers, I can’t say I remember seeing any bikers there.

    Love those photos of the lavender fields. Gorgeous!

    Log in to Reply
    • Kevin says:
      6 July 2011 at 6:50 pm

      Aparatchick: my tongue was inserted into my cheek for that ‘Provence’ comment! I went to that lilac festival the first year I lived in Seattle…I’m afraid there had been a FLOOD and the trees were not looking so nice…

      Log in to Reply
  8. Tamara says:
    6 July 2011 at 6:37 pm

    I would meet you there Kevin-if you haven’t already gone…my girls love the ferry ride over there…
    I love lavender and those small town events-being in Snohomish I am used to them and they are always a quaint ,enjoyable way to spend a afternoon.
    Today is beautiful isn’t it?
    I hope it’s this lovely around the time the festival starts..<3

    Log in to Reply
    • Kevin says:
      6 July 2011 at 6:54 pm

      Tamara: this year I’m waiting for a few weeks after the festival to visit…the shops I like will still be open, though I may miss out on the delicious lavender honey ice cream.

      Log in to Reply
  9. nozknoz says:
    6 July 2011 at 9:34 pm

    What a beautiful and unusual post, Kevin – thank you!

    I’m with you in thinking Moosedreams calming mist would work nicely on humans, too – very tempted to order up a bottle for the office! ;-)

    Log in to Reply
    • Kevin says:
      6 July 2011 at 9:39 pm

      Noz: and it supposedly repels ticks/fleas, etc. Last night I was attacked during sleep by the only mosquito in Seattle I think….a zillion bites.

      Log in to Reply
      • 50_Roses says:
        6 July 2011 at 11:22 pm

        Hey, if you need more mosquitoes, I’ll be happy to send you some from the Gulf Coast! I’ll even throw in some fire ants and cockroaches too, if you like. We have an abundance of six-legged wildlife here! No lavender, though. I’ve tried several varieties, in different locations around the yard, and all of them have died. Either we get too much rain and they drown, or we get no rain and they fry in the heat.

        Log in to Reply
        • Kevin says:
          6 July 2011 at 11:55 pm

          50 Roses: how about I just send you my ONE mosquito? You’ll never notice her there!

          Log in to Reply
          • 50_Roses says:
            6 July 2011 at 11:58 pm

            Well, if it’s really just one, why not just swat her and solve the problem?

  10. mariclare says:
    6 July 2011 at 9:37 pm

    reading this made me giddy, mostly because i’m in the middle of reading The Unlikely Lavender Queen by Jeannie Ralston. This festival sounds truly heavenly!

    Log in to Reply
    • Kevin says:
      6 July 2011 at 9:41 pm

      Mariclare: hmmmm…surely there’s a Lavender Queen or Princess crowned at Sequim too. HA!

      Log in to Reply
  11. LaMaroc says:
    6 July 2011 at 10:53 pm

    I think I just talked my brother and sister-in-law into slightly altering their itenierary so they can attend. They’re flying into Vancouver BC on Saturday.
    Fyi, for anyone not from around the PNW, Sequim is pronounced as one syllable “squim”. Luckily, when I moved out there I had natives to teach me all the pronunications (however they all asked me to pronounce it how I *thought* it would sound first so they could get a good laugh at my expense. :P ) Puyallup was the hardest one for me to pronounce. For some reason that word is like a tongue-twister for me.

    Log in to Reply
    • LaMaroc says:
      6 July 2011 at 10:54 pm

      *itinerary. Should have just said schedule. :rolleyes:

      Log in to Reply
      • Kevin says:
        6 July 2011 at 11:58 pm

        Lamaroc: when I first moved here I always pronounced it “suh-KIM”..ha! No one knew what I was talking about so didn’t correct me…there are many tongue-twisters here.

        Log in to Reply
        • LaMaroc says:
          7 July 2011 at 11:37 am

          LOL! I’m glad I wasn’t the only one.

          Log in to Reply
    • Aparatchick says:
      9 July 2011 at 1:14 am

      “however they all asked me to pronounce it how I *thought* it would sound first so they could get a good laugh at my expense.” I confess to having done that to friends. **Is ashamed** For Puyallup, just say Pew-Wallop. There are those who say Pew-al-up, but hey, tomato, tomahto. :-) BTW, Puyallup will always smell like the Fair to me: hay, manure, dirt, onion burgers, raspberry scones.

      Log in to Reply
  12. hongkongmom says:
    7 July 2011 at 6:59 am

    Will store this in my memory, if I am ever in USA over the period, I would love to be at that fair! LOVE lavender!

    Log in to Reply
  13. dfs85302 says:
    7 July 2011 at 8:46 am

    Has anyone been the the Lavender Daze Festival in Hood River, OR? It’s happening at the same time as the Sequim Festival. I’m traveling from Chicago to my first ever lavender fest, I hope it’s as good as the Sequim Fest sounds. I would love to try the Sequim Fest one year just from reading this informative NST post. Thank you for writing these great articles.

    Log in to Reply
    • Kevin says:
      7 July 2011 at 9:28 pm

      DFS: you’re welcome…and I bet you’ll have fun at the Hood River festival.

      Log in to Reply
  14. donnie says:
    7 July 2011 at 9:05 am

    Very good article, perfectly timed-lavender was blooming on friends’ doorstep last evening. I have never been much for lavender as food. My brain says “soap!” Last fall, my wife served a lavender-encrusted cheese as appetizer on the same day I wore a bit of Caron Pour un Homme and it really gave me a moment. Edible or not? The cheese was delicious. But lavender has such extensive non-food connotations, unlike thyme or rosemary.

    Log in to Reply
    • ggperfume says:
      7 July 2011 at 12:58 pm

      “Edible or not?” I laughed as I read your question, because it would surely be mine too. No matter – I love lavender for its scent and would rather wear it than eat it.

      Log in to Reply
    • mals86 says:
      7 July 2011 at 2:32 pm

      My sister swears homemade lavender ice cream is wonderful.

      Log in to Reply
      • donnie says:
        7 July 2011 at 5:48 pm

        I can picture that. I think the cream and the cold temperature would both be agreeable to the lavender, so be sure and notify me if a batch comes up!

        Log in to Reply
      • Kevin says:
        7 July 2011 at 9:30 pm

        Mals: IT IS!

        Log in to Reply
    • Kevin says:
      7 July 2011 at 9:30 pm

      Donnie…you know the lavender leaves, as opposed to flowers, always remind me of rosemary a bit…but I really love rose and violet foods/drinks too so maybe I’m not a good judge for you.

      Log in to Reply
  15. Anya says:
    7 July 2011 at 12:12 pm

    The Pacific Northwest is a true American treasure trove of organic growers and distillers, lavender being the top crop. A dear friend went to the festival a few years ago and gifted me some Purple Haze soap and oil. I believe the prominent variety grown in the NW is stoechas or spike, and they’re great for clearing the sinuses. Did you find any growing true (vera aka angustifolia), the one most associated with calming, linen drawers and the most traditional lavender scent?

    Oh, and your field and fiddle experience sounds wonderful!

    Log in to Reply
    • Kevin says:
      7 July 2011 at 9:35 pm

      Hi, Anya: Yes, I saw Lavandula angustifolia growing in Sequim…on which of the zillion farms I cannot remember. Some of the clumps were HUGE. I need to hire a fiddler to follow me around MY garden.

      Log in to Reply

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Advertisement

Search

From NST at Twitter

  • "Miley Cyrus Joins Gucci Beauty In the Metaverse" (hypebae) https://t.co/Sq0ZN6wxLJ,
  • "Where You Live Can Determine What Smells Good to You" (allure) https://t.co/hlDJ9IWy9k,
  • "Applebee’s Launches Chicken Wing-Flavored Lip Gloss" (perfumerflavorist) https://t.co/xRzY9BbO2c https://t.co/4897wZRbZ6,
  • It's August! But here you go: "Beauty advent calendars 2022: Your guide to this year’s Christmas treats from Libert… https://t.co/NR6sGmeurM,
  • On BBC Radio, "Making scents: The story of perfume", includes guests Luca Turin, Lizzie Ostrom, Thomas Fontaine, Wi… https://t.co/e7NOGgvKgR,

Browse by…

Topic

Perfume talk New fragrances
Shopping Books :: News
Body products Home fragrance
Polls Another subject

Date

July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
Prior months

Author

Robin Jessica
Angela Kevin
Erin Guest Author

Tag

Celebrity perfumes
Cheap thrills
Collector bottles
Perfumista tip series
Video
The complete tag index

Recent reviews

Atelier Cologne Love Osmanthus
Moschino Toy Boy
Arquiste Misfit
Diptyque Eau Capitale
Zoologist Bee
Parfum d’Empire Immortelle Corse
Comme des Garcons Series 10 Clash
Frédéric Malle Rose & Cuir
L’Artisan Parfumeur Le Chant de Camargue
Yves Saint Laurent Grain de Poudre
Régime des Fleurs Chloë Sevigny Little Flower
Chanel 1957
Gallivant Los Angeles
Amouage Portrayal Woman

Blogroll

Bois de Jasmin
Grain de Musc
Perfume Posse
The Non-Blonde
More blogs...

Perfumista lists

100 fragrances every perfumista should try
And 25 more fragrances every perfumista should smell
50 masculine fragrances every perfumista should try
26 vintage fragrances every perfumista should try
25 rose fragrances every perfumista should try
11 Cheap Perfumes Beauty Outsiders Love

Favorite posts

The Great Perfume Reduction Plan
Why I Love Old School Chypres
New to perfume and want to learn more?
How to make fragrance last through the day
Fragrance concentrations: sorting it all out
On reformulations, or why your favorite perfume doesn’t smell like it used to
How to get fragrance samples
Perfume for Life: How Long Will Your Fragrance Collection Last?

Upcoming

TBA September ~ fall swapmeet

TBA October ~ fall splitmeet

List of upcoming Friday projects

Back to Top

Home
About Now Smell This :: Privacy Policy

Shop for Perfume Online
Perfume Shopping in New York
Perfume Shopping in London
Perfume Reviews
New Perfumes
General Perfume Articles
The Monday Mail

Glossary of Perfume Terms
Perfume FAQ
Perfume Links
Perfume Books
Fragrance Awards

Noses ~ Perfumers A-E :: F-K :: L-S :: T-Z

Perfume Houses A-B :: C :: D-E :: F-G
H-J :: K-L :: M :: N-O :: P :: Q-R :: S
T :: U-Z

Copyright © 2005-2022 Now Smell This. All rights reserved.