Off Cold Spring Road in Milton, you’ll find a fairytale-like charming and lovely place called Lavender Fields at Warrrington Manor – Delaware’s premier lavender farm. Besides its fragrant and bountiful fields, you’ll be impressed by what else it offers!
Obviously mid-May, when the luscious and meticulously-tended fields are bursting with inimitable shades of light purple, you can expect larger numbers of visitors. (And sometimes, you’ll see other shades of white flowers and even dark purple. They’re equally gorgeous to behold.
And sure enough, Lavender Fields hosts a lavender festival of sorts when visitors can wander their lavender at its peak. But did you know its main attraction has all kinds of other opportunities?
Wander and meditate through their labyrinth Zen garden, enjoy friends’ company over a cup of lavender (and other) tea in their romantic tea room. And don’t miss the shopping at their on-site store brimming with lavender products and other gifts made on site.
Probably their most prized and popular product is their line of soap created by none of than their resident “Soap Lady,” with her own beautiful and often quirky naturals soaps. Examples include Lavender (of course), but also Poison Ivy, Grapefruit Lady and Naked Man.
There’s a tea room, glass shed, drying barn filled with many feline friends to greet you. There are also other gardens to wander through: a bee and butterfly garden teeming with life, and a Dahlia garden surrounded by wildflowers later in the summer season.
As one can guess, it’s been a popular destination for weddings and other events. Guests can meander through the unique Zen garden, or catch a special photo pretty much anywhere at their property!
On Wednesdays at 10:30 June through October, be sure to attend their free demonstrations on the art of growing and harvesting lavender of many varieties, and other topics.
And of course, you can’t miss the shopping at the cottage store (online ordering is also available on their web site).
Sprigs of lavender abound, as well as other lavender products – everything from infused cooking oils to body oils, all natural dog products and insect repellent. Locals go wild for the Soap Fairy’s handcrafted soaps in an amazing array of scents, such as Citrus Sunrise, Down at the Beach and, curiously one named Naked Man…
Lavender has been known for eons for its medicinal and even culinary uses. You can soak in all of that knowledge (and relax) during your visit.
You can also order their products online, or purchase a variety at the area’s many farmers markets. They are fan favorites every week.
So how did this historic farm come to be? Interestingly, the original land tract was granted to William Penn dating to 1684, and has a long history of creating fruit orchards, sorghum and sugar cane. It’s also been a dairy farm.
Pauline Petitt, who purchased the property in 1994 transformed it, and was locally known as the Lavender Lady (she knew a thing or two about growing it, as her father was well-known in England for his lavender farms).
The current owners, Sharon Harris and Marie Mayor have grown the operation into a must see agritourism gem. Be sure to visit during peak growing season. The sights and smells are not to be missed.
(Pics from https://www.lavenderfieldsde.com/)