Elk Ridge Lavender Farms & Vineyards

Why Lavender?

Dave & Wendy Marshall grow the varieties listed below on their Indiana Vineyards and Lavender Farm.
All are thriving well in the Indiana full sun and our well-drained soil.

English Lavender― (Lavandula angustifolia)
Fragrant, sweet lavender used for sachets and fragrances; great for flavoring icecream, jellies, pastries or meats.

'Buena Vista' lavender ―
These fragrant, blue-purple flowers were brought in as transplants from Te Bri Vineyards & Lavender Farms in Dave Marshall's home state of Oregon. The Buena Vista lavender is the perfect complement sweet desserts and other savory dishes.

'Grosso' Lavender―
Another lavender Dave brought from Te Bri Vineyards & Lavender Farms in Oregon is a widely planted commercial variety from France or Italy. This lavender is quite possibly the most fragrant lavender of all. It has compact growth up to 2½ ft. tall and/or wide. The foliage is silvery. The 'Grosso" lavender large, conical spikes of blue-violet flowers have darker calyxes. Blooms repeat in late summer. Excellent to dry or inhale fragrantly while green.

Lavender Care -

Plant lavender in full sun and well-drained soil

Water plants deeply but infrequently, when the soil is almost dry.

Prune in early spring or at harvest time. For low-growing varieties, trim back foliage 1 to 2 inches. Starting in a plant's second year, all 3- to 4-foot lavenders should be cut back by about a third to keep the plant from getting overly woody. If a plant becomes woody and open in the center, remove a few of the oldest branches; take out more when new growth starts. If this doesn't work, it's time to dig out the plant and replace it.

Lavender Life Span-
(Many commercial growers replace plants after 10 to 12 years.) Harvest for sachets and potpourri by cutting flower spikes or stripping flowers from stems just as blossoms show color; dry in a cool, shaded place.

Elk Ridge Vineyards & Lavender Farms will soon be hosting local classes on planting Lavender. These classes will be about lavender care and creating nice gifts from these beautiful plants!

Why Lavender?

Wonderful Uses for Lavender on your Wedding Day

1. Tie bundles of dried or fresh lavender (fresh lavender available in July) with bows for the end of each seating row at the ceremony.

2. Include fresh or dried lavender in the bridal party bouquets. Lavender is the ancient herb of love and devotion.

3. Have the flower girl toss dried lavender buds along the aisle. As the bridesmaids step on the aromatic buds, a gentle, calming fragrance greets the bride. Wedding day jitters disappear!

4. Dried or fresh lavender stems in small vases at the reception carry on this fragrant theme.

5. Use a ribbon-trimmed bundle of fresh lavender as the bridal bouquet toss. A new tradition is to present the toss bouquet to a guest of honor rather than have the "bouquet battle." Use dried lavender stems along with other dried herbs and flowers for an everlasting memory!

6. Use fragrant, environmentally friendly dried lavender in place of wedding rice. Lavender buds are a great replacement for rice. Rice, bubbles and birdseed are difficult to clean-up.

Dave Marshall, owner of Elk Ridge Ranch vineyards and lavender farms planting lavender in the stone, lavender labyrinth.

Mature lavender grows in the fields with the black horsetail fence surrounding the aromatic lavender gardens.

Purdue University Plant Botany Major, Violet Dawn Wright, W. Lafayette, IN and Master of Horticulture, Charles York, Bloomington, IN plant lavender in Elk Ridge vineyards and lavender farms near French Lick, Indiana.