Did you know that lavender comes in dozens of varieties, each with a different smell, and many with different growing habits? I did learn that from Rebecca at Lavender Connection, who owns a family-run lavender farm in Sequim, Washington, which also happens to be the lavender capital of the United States! After meeting her at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show, where her beautiful lavender scents were wafting over to my booth all day, I knew I had to have her on the podcast to share her incredible expertise.

 

In this episode, we learn:

• [02:40] How Rebecca became a lavender expert
• [06:25] Where does lavender grow natively?
• [07:17] How many species does lavender have?
• [09:06] English vs French vs Spanish lavender
• [11:19] How to avoid killing your lavender (top growing tips!)
• [12:55] Why you need well-draining soil for lavender
• [15:13] Make someone’s special day unforgettable by gifting them Wind River Chimes!
• [17:27] Common mistakes new lavender gardeners make
• [20:12] Life as a lavender farmer: agritourism, DIY, and more
• [22:17] The lavender essential oil bar experience
• [24:03] How Starbucks drinks was inspired by her Lavender Connection!
• [25:29] Favorite lavender varieties (including the mysterious Row 19)
• [27:15] What you can actually do with harvested lavender
• [29:30] What’s the easiest thing you can do with a lavender?
• [30:28] Where can you find Lavender Connections?

 

 

 

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Lavender as an Herb

I’ve always thought lavender is only a flower, but it’s actually a woody perennial herb, like thyme or rosemary.

So this detail kind of changes everything when it comes to how we care for it. Lavender doesn’t need moist soil like many garden flowers because it grows best in the complete opposite conditions!

 

The Lavender Capital of the U.S.

Rebecca shared that the city of Sequim sits in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains and creates the perfect microclimate for lavender.

While the west side of the mountains gets all that Pacific Northwest rain (like Forks from Twilight), Sequim gets significantly less rain and a lot more sun than anywhere else in western Washington. That is what lavender loves!

 

The Types of Lavender You Need to Know

There are over 40 species of lavender, but in North America, you’ll mostly find three:

• English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): Smaller plants, and they have more variety in colors (also the ones you can cook with).
• French Lavender (Lavandula x intermedia): A hybrid that can get huge (up to 4 feet tall and 4 feet wide), and is better for hot climates.
• Spanish Lavender (Lavandula stoechas): Ornamental variety that looks like a pineapple.

Rebecca grows over 40 varieties on her farm (including their signature Row 19), plus another dozen in a viewing garden. Their diversity of cultivars is kind of their thing, and it's what makes visiting their farm so magical.

 

 

How to Grow Lavender

1. Light: Lavender is not a houseplant. It needs full sun at least six hours a day, but ideally eight. Indoors, even in a sunny window, it’s more likely to struggle.
2. Soil: The thing that kills lavender more than anything is root rot. It desperately needs well-draining soil!

If you have clay soil or know drainage is an issue, you need to amend that before planting your lavender. Rebecca recommended grabbing a $7 bag of construction gravel from Home Depot and mixing it in. You want the soil to drain almost like succulent soil.

3. Watering – Just because we mentioned “like a succulent” doesn't mean you’re leaving it dry entirely. For the first couple of years, you do need to water lavender. In Washington, Rebecca doesn't water until July and August, but you need to pay attention during those hot months until the plant is about three years old.

Also, never put mulch around lavender if you're watering it because this traps moisture and can cause root rot. And don't plant it next to thirsty plants like roses where you'll be watering frequently.

 

 

A Real-Life Lavender Farm (That Inspired Starbucks!)

Starbucks visited Rebecca's farm to develop their lavender drink line! They did her essential oil bar experience, smelling through 20 to 25 different lavender varieties, and the experience inspired their lavender drinks.

This experience is open to all!  No reservation required. They’re open Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day.

 

 

Harvesting Your Lavender at Home

You can absolutely use homegrown lavender, but timing is everything. So if you want to use it for buds (for sachets, culinary use, etc.), harvest before it blooms.

If you prefer to cook with it, make sure you’re using English lavender, which has a sweeter flavor. French lavender has more camphor and can taste bitter or “soapy.”

You can also dry bundles for bouquets or place fresh snips on your car dashboard like I do and let the sun gently release its scent through the windshield.

 

 

What You Can Make Without Distilling Oil

If you don’t have a still, Rebecca recommends sticking to simpler uses for your lavender:

• Dried bundles for decoration
• Buds for sachets or culinary use (teas, cookies, simple syrups)
• Infused oils (like steeping buds in coconut or sunflower oil), though the scent will be subtle

Making high-impact body butters or creams from your backyard harvest without lavender essential oil can be challenging, so it's a must-have if you plan to make them.

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

• GJ Episode 158: Grow and Make Essential Oils with Chris Satch
• “Row 19” Lavender Essential Oil (lavandula intermedia)

 

 

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Wind River Chimes

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Visit windriverchimes.com and use code GROWINGJOY to receive free engraving on your chosen wind chimes.

 

 

 

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