Stop and smell the lavender

Suzanne Powers of Purple Scent Lavender wanted to add a little extra flare to her Chico Way farm this season.

She recently unveiled a new, larger shop full of lavender products and plenty of room for customers to wander through.

“I knew it was a long time coming,” she said of the shop which overlooks her waterfront lavender farm. “I had the shop in the cedar shed and there wasn’t enough room. I wanted something a little cuter with a little style.”

An inviting and colorful room, the smell of lavender instantly awakens the senses. The shop offers a variety of lavender products including lotions, soaps, essential oils, massage oils, candles and more.

“We have all kinds of goodies,” Powers said. “I’ve added a lot of new products.”

Weather permitting, the farm’s you-pick lavender should be available within the next two weeks for $5.50 a bouquet. Lavender varieties include melissa, munstead, hidcote, bona vista, royal velvet and grosso.

“People can add different varieties to their bouquet,” she said.

Until then there are a variety of of other lavender choices including lavender plants, buds, dried bundles and arrangements.

A former cook for the Central Kitsap School District, Powers enjoys using lavender in creating new culinary dishes. She is in the process of having her own kitchen certified, but in the meantime she offers lavender tea and lemonade, lavender sugar and the dry ingredients to make lavender lemon pound cake.

Powers also is preparing for Purple Scent Lavender’s second annual festival harvest July 14, 15 and 16 which features wine tasting, a live band and of course — lavender.

“It’s really a lot of fun,” she said.

Musician Glen Bui is scheduled to perform.

“He plays everything from Motown to jazz to hard rock,” Powers said. “This year we’re going to try to do some James Taylor, Carly Simon and Motown.”

The festival also features wand classes, garden tours and several culinary dishes for tasting.

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