June is Lavender Month in Sonoma Wine Country

Each June Sonoma County blossoms with lavender, and celebrates with lavender events, lavender sales, and lavender farm tours. 

For many of Sonoma County’s lavender businesses, their products may be available year-round online, but the harvest season is the only time they open their doors to the public. 

In ancient times, lavender was a favorite of Mediterranean royalty. Today, the tiny purple blooms with their distinctive perfume are popular plants in Sonoma Wine Country. Their fine silver-gray stalks can be left wild and bushy, or trimmed into manicured curves. They grow wild and in gardens, and – along with the bees who adore their fragrant pollen – all we have to do is look around and see the explosion of colors. 

Together, we can protect and preserve the beauty and natural resources of Sonoma County for generations to come. Check out our page on Sustainable Travel, and look over the Leave No Trace Seven Principles.

Monte-Bellaria di California

That explosion of color couldn’t be more apparent than at Monte-Bellaria di California, a farm lined with beautiful lavender in the Russian River Appellation. Book a self-guided walk now through their sprawling lavender fields, or enjoy a picnic on their grounds. Before leaving, stop into the farm store for products that come from the farm, such as cold-pressed olive oil and a number of different bee products.

Matanzas Creek Winery

Some of Sonoma County’s most breathtaking lavender is found at Matanzas Creek Winery in Bennett Valley. The winery planted spectacular, terraced lavender gardens in 1991, and each June they provide visitors with a fragrant and gorgeous welcome to the winery. The  beautiful lavender fields are farmed to preserve the essence of the local ecosystem. Once the lavender reaches full bloom, it is hand-cut and the entire plant is utilized in the production of the winery’s bath, body, and home products.

Lavender Bee Farm

Because of its exceptional taste, the pure, raw lavender honey from Lavender Bee Farm sells out every year. With three varieties of lavender, more than 5,000 lavender plants, and multiple beehives, this family farm is chemical-free, using no pesticides or chemical fertilizers.  It’s lavender products include bouquets, sachets, and hydrosols (steam-distilled aromatic water). Their products are sold online all year round, but the farm is only open in harvest season (farm tours by appointment only). 

Bees N Blooms

Bees N Blooms presents a Lavender Labyrinth, the largest in California. Stroll through the fragrant fields of eight different types of lavender and enjoy other flowers, as well. They have honeybees to visit, a tree nursery to peruse, and an organic vegetable garden.