Julie Park and family
What led you to be a lavender farmer?
When my kids were young, I took them blueberry picking at the most beautiful farm. This farm also grew lavender and raised bees and I just loved it. It just always stuck with me.
How did you come up with the name of your farm?
Well, our last name is Park and people seem to say “The Park’s Place” when they are coming over to visit. I also wanted something catchy that would encompass a wide range of my interests. However, spelling Perennials isn’t the easiest (even for me sometimes!) so it probably wasn’t the best choice, but it seems to work!
What did you do before you were a lavender farmer?
I worked in healthcare for 25 years. I very much enjoyed my career and miss my patients and co-workers, but this was always something I wanted to do and with my husband on board we decided to go for it!
What is your favorite lavender variety?
It’s hard to choose just one, I find it so fascinating that there are so many varieties with different traits and I ended up going overboard with different varieties! If I had to pick only one though, I think it is Gros Bleu, because I love the long stems and deep color and the way it slightly bends when it dries. It is just lovely and makes such a nice bouquet.
What is your favorite use for lavender?
My very favorite use is dried bouquets. I’ve always had them all over my house in vases or jars or vintage pails. There is just something about it that is so homey. Now that I have my own lavender farm, I should probably replace some of my older ones, but they still look good!
What’s your best lavender growing tip?
I would say talk to everyone, ask lots of questions, talk to the other farmers in your area because they know how things grow specific to you. We have received so much great advice and help from so many people! We knew we would make mistakes, but we tried to learn as much as possible beforehand. I took a couple of classes, we met with our county and state resource and extension groups, other farmers, nursery/ farm consultants, and more. There are so many resources available and people genuinely want to help and see you succeed
Who helps you with your lavender farming?
The lavender farm is definitely a joint venture with my husband. He has really loved it. He has a stressful day job so he really enjoys coming home and having this new farm to work on. He is also the essential oil guy and has been studying up on all of that part. Also, our three college-aged kids and their friends, who have all helped prepare and plant the fields when they are home from college.
Do you grow anything in addition to lavender?
I have a small greenhouse where I grow different varieties of plants and flowers. We have peonies, a variety of cut flowers, as well as huckleberries and blueberries. We also have a large wildflower meadow that was designed to support native pollinators like bees and butterflies that we hope to use for educational purposes. We also have honeybee hives.
Do you have a favorite book about lavender?
I really like Sarah Berringer Bader’s book, The Lavender Lover’s Handbook, and our farm is just about a mile from where hers used to be so it’s very relevant!
Contact Information:
Website address: parkplaceperennials.com
Instagram: @parkplaceperennial
Facebook: Park Place Perennials
Telephone: 503-612-0599
Email: [email protected]
Contributed by
Pam Baker
Little Lavender Farm
Edited & formatted by
Pam Baker & Michael Lemmers
Little Lavender Farm & RavenCroft
