The Purple Road

Lavender Hill

Have you heard about The Purple Road?

The Purple Road is the public face of the Ontario Lavender Association.

Established in 2010, the Ontario Lavender Association (OLA) represents the interests of lavender growers within the Province of Ontario.

Lavender Hill became a member in 2015 to 2019 when the associated membership fee became a financial hardship for us and we regrettably put our membership on hiatus.

On the OLA’s website you will find The Purple Road with links to Ontario lavender growers, producers and suppliers of lavender and lavender based products.

Lavender Hill is a small ‘p’ producer of lavender. Harvested by hand, bundled and hung in our drying room, Lavender Hill sells its crop at our seasonal roadside stand and at local farmers’ markets.

The Purple Road

Trim your young Lavender plants

Lavender Hill

If you planted a young lavender last year and if it’s blooming, cut off those flower spikes! I know how hard it can be to cut off those lovely blooms but DO IT! During the first 3 years you’ll want to encourage the plant to keep its energy in the plant rather than in making flowers. You will also be lightly trimming and shaping the plant into a pin cushion shape during these early years.

In the photo is a Lavandula Angustifolia ‘Hidcote’ that I planted towards the end of summer 2016. At almost a year old it’s doing wonderfully in the rock garden, and it threw up several flower spikes. These were cut off and the plant given a little haircut to keep its tight pin cushion shape. If it continues to thrive and survive its second winter (and I have every confidence that it will) it will likely double in size.